Tainted Black
by SpiritualxWolf
Summary: He stumbled back into the counter with his teeth grinding in utter pain. His eyes were shut. His head thumped. His breathing slowed. His body grew stiff. He coughed out a small cry of agony. Something was wrong. CloudxTifa.
1. Restless

**Disclaimer;** I do not own Squaresoft, the characters, places, names, or anything of Final Fantasy VII and AC. This story is purely fan made and made for the enjoyment of writing.

**Before Reading; **This is pre-Advent Children...the start of Cloud's geostigma.

**Chapter I : Restless**

Darkness.

Silence.

Darkness.

_Come on, sleep already._

Stillness.

_This is the third week, Cloud. The THIRD week you haven't slept well._

_What?_

_Whats wrong?_

_Whats happening?_

His blue eyes fluttered open, and his vision blurred for a moment as the appearance of the austere ceiling greeted him. Pain immediately enveloped his cranium which throbbed uncontrollably. His eyes squinted shut. His head hurt. His body felt stiff. His mind couldn't sleep. Great. With a vitriol sigh, his eyes reopened boring once again at the ceiling.

_Maybe if I just lye here…maybe I'll just fall asleep…_

_I'll dream._

_I'll drift…_

Yeah. Right. He'd been trying that for how many hours, days, weeks…and still nothing. He'll just force himself up again and drown himself in beers to fall asleep and eventually find that same worried visage on her face again. Her concerned face. Lord…how he hated seeing that bright and early in the morning. He felt guilty every time. But…what else can he do to get to bed? Seriously, he had deliveries in the morning to do; he had a job to do. Can't be tired on the job. Beer was the only hope.

Groaning, the brute managed to lift his body up to a sitting position on his bed as he stared across the sheets slightly perplexed. He exhaled, chest feeling heavy and numb while his legs were in no mood to move. Spidery fingers rubbed at his blue-green eyes trying to remove his hazy sight. He felt totally out of it and drained. He eventually shifted his body out of the blankets and sheet letting his feet touch the floorboard.

His eyes drifted towards the window for a moment, catching how blue the room was from the illuminating moon cascading into the room. The violet sky was starry, streaked with charcoal cirrus clouds. It was a tranquil night, peaceful and full of serenity. Why couldn't he feel like that for once? Why couldn't he sleep with that sweet feeling for just one night? Why were his nights always full of nightmares? Darkness?

"Gah, fucking…" He cursed as he soon came back to his senses. The male soon stood, making a haste stride over towards the bathroom before he headed downstairs to the bar. He flicked on the light and caught his reflected image upon the mirror. His eyes squinted hard, as they adjusted to the light. Obviously, he looked terrible. His feathery blond, naturally spiky hair materialized flattened and his bangs touching his forehead tenderly. With the lack of sleep, deep plum-colored bags draped underneath his tainted eyes with fresh eye crust. Even his skin seemed to lose its natural color.

A sigh escaped his lips as he leaned forward to rest his head against the mirror. Lord. He wanted no one to see him like this. No one. Not even her. God, no. One look could break him apart and make him leave for sure to stop hurting her. Leaning back, he sucked it up, took a quick piss and headed out of his room.

The hallway was dark, having only a faint blue hue. He could barely make out where the stairs were as his eyes again had to adjust to the dark. His hands felt as his feet took precise steps to balancing his weight in case he stepped on a creek. They worked around, until his hand touched something incredibly cold, slick, and circular. Naturally, he pushed for a brief moment until the loudest creek erupted from the door. His body froze, his breathing ceased, everything stopped. Nothing moved. Sapphire eyes flickered over towards new, slight movement within the sheets, shifting movements. It was her room. He held his breath until the shifting stopped. …Silence. He got lucky. If Marlene was here, she would have confronted him within a split second. That was how much of a light sleeper she was. It was often the child would enter his room, noticing his restless nights and his dreaming. She knew more of the problem than the woman.

Relieved, he started for a moment into the room. It too was blue hued, the same moonlight shimmering inside upon her rested body. She was there, lying in the blankets with the bed taking her shape. She was on her side with a single layer of blankets wrapped around her frame, clearly forming her curves. Her head rested against the pillow as her dark chestnut hair spilled against the whiteness touching her ivory flesh of her face and shoulders. Pale pink lips seemed as if locked in a small smile as she rested. Eyelashes kissed her cheeks as she slept on, dreaming. She looked peaceful and calm, making him almost envy her. Her face…Her body…Her lips…everything…She was beauteous beyond words.

Abruptly, Cloud stumbled back, noticing he'd been examining her for quite some time. Grunting, he took meek steps and slithered downstairs to the bar. All was quiet and silent like normal. No Marlene. No Tifa. Just Cloud, himself and a case of beers. He brought haste in finding his first one for the night and sucking it down his throat. Bitter. It was strange to Cloud to drink like this actually. He hardly ever drank…well, until now. Drinking helped make him fall asleep. He then opened another, taking his time for this one to think.

_Nightmares…pain…_

…_Reunion_

_Jenova._

…_Wait, what?_

The man shook his head as his fingers pinched at the bridge of his nose. What the hell was that for? Reunion? Jenova? Suddenly, his left arm throbbed with cutting pain. His heart raced for a moment, as he could feel the strange pain spread to his shoulder. It felt like it was eating away at him. His fingers felt as if electric shocks were being bolted through them, as they went limp. He twitched, and threw the beer out of his other hand and clutched his arm tightly. The crash of his beer bottle echoed as the liquid poured out to the floor. He stumbled back into the counter with his teeth grinding in utter pain. His eyes were shut. His head thumped. His breathing slowed. His body grew stiff. He coughed out a small cry of agony.

_No…_

_Please_

_Please don't be black…_

"Cloud!"

He struggled to keep his balance as the pain continued to smite him. Though potent, a soft pair of hands grabbed his shoulders, trying to hold him in balance. His head grew light. Quickly he took a daring glance to his arm, which still remained it same color.

"Are you all right?"

Her voice…

"Cloud!"

He forced his eyes open to see a pair of worrisome alarmed ones stared back, all brown and wine colored. He stared for a moment, almost as if trying to recognize those close, familiar eyes…all in the while his pain seemed to fade.

"…Tifa?"

"Cloud? Are you okay?"

"I-…yeah."

"What happened? Were you drinking again?"

"I'm…not sure."

Tifa sighed, releasing her grip off of his broad shoulders back to her sides. She looked tiresome. Her straight hair sat messily on her shoulders and forehead. Her eyes shook with flickering emotions and feelings. She stood there barefooted, dressed in only a white tank top, which revealed too much of her black bra, and black shorts tied to fit lowly around her waist. It was her normal dress to bed when Marlene or anyone wasn't around.

"Cloud…" She looked away to the floorboards, with a hurtful expression holding in her eyes.

He stepped back putting on his usual impassive look across his face. He waited. Secretly, he loathed seeing her like this and the awkward silences between them. How he longed for better communications skills.

"Teef?"

"I just-…look, I just want you to know that I'm here for you, okay? You can tell me anything, you know I'll listen and understand, right?"

She looked back up again with a stern look, this time making eye contact with her childhood friend.

"If something's wrong just tell me. I can help you."

"…I know," He muttered. His eyes broke away and drifted to her lips. A troubled look smeared across his visage.

"Okay…I'm just letting you know that I'm always open for you…"

Her eyes drift past him, and Cloud notices. His gaze follows hers as he turned to see what she was looking at. Of course, how could he forget his beer shattered in thousands of lost pieces with the liquid still inking and diffusing all over the floor? There it all sat waiting for Tifa or someone to clean it up.

"It's all right. I got it," Tifa said as she breezed by him, grabbing a wash cloth hung from the oven on her way. He watched her kneel down picking at the glass and throwing them away next to the trash can near her. He hated seeing her doing that. It was his mess and his fault he dropped the damn thing. She shouldn't have to clean up his mistakes, damn it!

"No, I'll clean it up. It's my mess. Here…" The blond soon then knelt down next to the barmaid grabbing all the broken glass he could hope to cease her work.

"Cloud! Be careful!"

Too late.

After throwing all the chunks of the bottle away his hands dripped in fresh, crimson blood. Tiny slits swathed his palms from the cuts of glass. He stared at his hands for a moment, inhaling the scent of iron in the blood.

"Look at you…all right. Go upstairs into my bathroom and wash your hands off. I'll clean and wrap them before you head to bed again,"

"—But"

"Don't worry about it, just go," She ordered motioning with her head tilted towards the stairs. "Everything's okay."

Sighing, he obeyed. He knew there was going to be absolutely no possible way to win the quarrel. He got up and ambled to the stairs and into her room. Back into the gloomy blue world. There, he saw her bed again; blankets and sheet tangled. Left in how she unwrapped herself. He continued on, feeling the blood course between his fingers almost dripping.

Flicking on the light switch, now covered in his blood, he dumped his hands into the sink and turned on the cold water that cooled his burning cuts. The blue-eyed man watched as the blood churned with the water turning a rusty brown color as it swirled down the drain.

_What's wrong with me?_

_What was that pain I felt?_

…_Jenova…?_

_Him?_

_What?_

"Cloud?"

He jumped and all his thoughts crashed and jumbled together. He had also let his guard down.

Tifa stood there in the door way with her hands occupied with rubbing alcohol, a cotton ball, and bandage wraps for his wounds.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you while you were in thought. Here, let me see your hands." She turned and returned to her bed, sitting on the edge waiting for him.

He turned off the water faucet and wiped his hands before dragging himself over. Emotions were firing off inside as he moved closer…all alien, foreign emotions.

The bathroom light spilled on them as Tifa worked with Cloud's hands, bubbling and burning from the alcohol. She was delicate, though, making it as comforting and relaxing as she could which was working. Cloud just abreast from her felt totally…different being close to her like this. Self-possession, devotion, _desire_. He loved the feelings running through him, even though his muscles twitched at the flaming sensation of his palms.

"Almost done…" She hummed, complete focused on his hands. After her last dab with the saturated cotton ball Tifa enfolded the wrapping bandages, her work finished.

"All right?" The brunette woman questioned, her eyes looked as if they were smiling at him.

"Yeah…thanks."

Strangely, she still held his hands in hers. She stared at them for a moment tracing up his arm to his chest and finally back to his eyes. Cloud sat there, clueless on what do to next, waiting to be released from her. A sigh released from her parted lips.

"Cloud…I've been thinking about you a lot over the past weeks. You haven't been yourself. Even though we don't talk as much or see each other that much I can still sense that you're not okay. You drink heavier; you're in more physical and metal pain…" She stopped for a moment, wondering if she'd went too far for him still locking eyes.

"What are you talking about?" He asserted, sulking inside.

"You tell me you're all right, but when I look at you…you're not. Honestly, I'm a little tired of waiting for you to tell me something or talk to me again, but I know why you distance yourself from me. And-"

"Tifa," Cloud growled, slipping his hands out from hers. "I'm fine. I don't want you to worry about me."

"How can I? You're always out, you never call, and we hardly ever talk to each other!"

"I just…need some time."

The barmaid suddenly hushed. Her eyes dropped to her hands to conceal her true emotions that flickered inside of her. He knew why she stopped. He knew what she was thinking. _Her._ He didn't want her to think that. If she did, then their whole communication with each other would go downhill, the very last thing he wanted. He was getting over the past quite well, though often it would come back and haunt him. But other than that it was passing.

"Wait. Tifa, it's not what you think..."

"Right," She muttered. "Go back to bed, Cloud." The brown-eyed woman then rose from her position and strode into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her. Ireful, he sighed.

_Shit._


	2. Breakdown

**Author's Note**: Thanks for reviews!

**Chapter II : Breakdown**

She was silent as she stood in the bathroom. Her hands grasped the sides of the pearly white sink with her back hunched over. Her cheeks were flushed in a rosy pink as her eyes darkened. They glittered in the dull yellow light that beamed across the small area. Tears soon traced the smooth curve of her face bone structure from wine eyes. Dark hair fell around her visage hoping to the hide her true emotions away from the man she dearly held close to her heart.

She opened the door to find the man still there, immobile at the edge of her bed watching the ground. Indignation burst from her insides.

"Get out…" The brunette muttered fighting back her feelings as best as she could, though she knew it was literally impossible now.

Now twice as livid at himself, Cloud remained where he was disobeying her order. Normally, he'd just get up and make his way out and leave her in the dust thinking it was best anyways, but this time was different. Tifa was _crying_. And, this was _his_ fault. He couldn't just leave her like this. It was time he'd correct his mistakes and get things right.

_It's time to stop being the fault…_

_Being the failure._

_Get up._

Determined, the man pulled himself together and got up with his vivid blue eyes fixated on her intangible, perfect complexion.

"Tif—"

"Just get out now!" She shouted. Her head lowered as she tilted her body forwards over the sink.

"How did I fall in love with someone like you…?"

His mouth opened to speak in protest when—

_Wait…_

_Did she just…?_

_Fall in…_

_Someone like me?_

Her words were so soft that he barely made them out. Cloud stood there, completely confounded and blown away from Tifa's comment. He was absolutely stunned. The barmaid shifted herself to face him and started a dead paced to him, entering the blue room. She looked desperate; eyes seemed to churn with desire and lust, while her face held its grim impression.

The air no longer had its chilling state. It grew utterly hot.

"I can't, Cloud. I can't…I just can't anymore."

Suddenly it hit him as she slithered closer and closer. The _pain_. His arm began to tingle with outlandish pain, as if needles were pricking his flesh. He regretted his determination to make things straight with her. It was only going to make things worse. As she drew closer, he drew back, frightened of his condition and the fear of hurting her emotionally and now possibly physically. He wanted to get as far as he could away from her. Eyes took quick glances at the door, pondering about eluding.

"…Tifa…"

"You're always so far away…it's just _killing_ me inside…I can't keep waiting…"

He was vigilant to avoid ramming into the bed as he inched back with his hands up to defend himself from her. Though, it was absolutely no use, since she drove him near the corner of the room. Pain jolted up his left arm. Muscles seemed to crawl underneath his skin. He had to get away.

"No…not now. I can't—"

In that instant he was cut off by a kiss, a kiss so intense and passionate immediately he lost his worry of exiting the room. It was amazing how her lips seemed to fit just right against his; velvety and lush. The taste was inconceivably delicious, tasting of sweet sugar from the dessert she probably had before she headed to bed along with just a brush of the creamy taste of coffee. Her arms then snaked around his neck, letting her hands roam free into his hair and upper back. She pulled her body close to his, ravenous for more.

He was hesitant at first as his heart felt like it was going to jump out of his chest. His body so flummoxed he stood there like a statue for a moment letting her work around him. Seconds later he found himself loosening, the torrid passion once burning furtively inside of him leaking out. Brawn arms then naturally winded around her waist as he pulled her in. Finger tips traced her back while his hands adventured her skin as it crawled with frisson. His lungs felt like they slowly were shrinking inside from the lack of air, taking in only small amounts after a few kisses. But it didn't matter to him. Nothing in the world mattered to him at the moment. All his focus was strictly stuck on Tifa, hoping this would make up his faults.

Apparently it was working since she didn't dare to let him go as she pressed her weight against him and pushed him against the wall to continue her lustful busses. It was astonishing to Cloud how forceful she was pursuing her actions and not even letting the man to breathe. But honestly, he didn't want it to stop. He could kiss her for eternally if he wanted to. God, she was so spellbinding, dazzling.

Abruptly, out of nowhere he groaned. Not in pleasure, but in critical pain.

Cloud then jerked back, pushing her off of him. His arm went in a convulsion while his fingers twitched uncontrollably. His head grew light as his stomach coiled inside. His breaths were with haste as he sucked in air, in and out in and out. Cold sweat trickled down his neck. Consternation painted his face as premonition sat at his throat. Hell was happening _again_.

_Why the hell now?_

_Why at this moment?_

"Cloud! What the—?" Tifa staggered back totally mystified by Cloud's actions.

She grew hazier and hazier through his misty eyes. Her fine curves and delicate structures mutated into blurs of blue and black…pain ached at his arm…his eyes hurt…heart grew sluggish…the blinding yellow light…blue light…her voice…

He could feel his body crashing, crumbling down onto the floor before her feet.

"Clou—"

Blackness.


	3. Departure

**Chapter III : Departure**

He was awakened by the numerous diminutive rays of blinding light that managed to claw out from behind the wooden blinds of the window. It was late in the morning, the brilliant blazing orange star was already awake and warming the skies. Stings of white clouds stained the blue while smog from the pollution of the real world rose and ate at it. People were outside, infusing and diffusing from the rushing, live river of humans. It was mad chaos in the city, and it was only morning.

Cloud groggily shook his head trying to get his body out of sleep mode. His body felt truly unruffled, and he didn't want to get up. He was in a bed, realizing from the alluring scent that it wasn't his own. But for some reason it bothered him in the head. He didn't remember going to bed last night. Let alone this bed. _Her_ bed. He could tell right away it was Tifa's bed since it had a faint florescence smell to it, probably from her shampoo. His mind couldn't remember what had happened last night.

_Was I here? Was I here in her room?_

_Was I that drunk?_

…_Well, laying here in Tifa's bed isn't going to solve anything._

_Get your ass up._

Exhaling, he shifted his body up with his elbows balancing himself on the bed. He felt something insanely aberrant. It made his spine shudder and his skin crawl. A gooey sensation oozed through between his fingers, and it touched his palms and arm. He soon realized that not only was it on his hands, it was on his chest, shoulders, arms, neck face…all _black_. Eyes widened in panic as they gradually traced the sheets around him. He found them too smothered in the same goop. The left side of the bed mostly covered in the stuff. He was just asleep in black…puss. Then, a thought came to him. A thought he knew longer before this happened, but wouldn't believe.

_Geo…stigma?_

_No_

_This can't happen to me_

_It CAN'T, DAMN IT…_

Taking the dare, his blue eyes glanced down at his left arm finding it continuing to gush out black puss from his arm sluggishly. Almost his entire left arm was fully discolored in plum and black as if bruised, burnt or something. It was the marking. The marking of the stigma. The marking of the unfortunate. The marking of death.

Panic suddenly took over his body forcing his body out of the bed with haste. He stumbled onto the floor grasping his infected arm. The bed was absolutely ruined. It practically swam in the puss all the sheets, pillows and blankets wet in blackness. The ghastly thing was…it was Tifa's bed. He had made a mess out of it in just one night.

Quickly, the man gathered up the sheets and blankets and pulled them off the mattress and onto the floor. His arm ached as he worked, the black puss no longer poured out of his flesh. Next, he had no idea what to do. If Tifa was home, she'd probably be wondering what in the hell he was doing with the bed sheets, let along why he was doing laundry. But the bar seemed quiet. Maybe Tifa was out or something? Hopefully she was. Because since now he had the stigma, he had no intention of telling Tifa. Cloud wanted her to never know.

For just a brief moment the brute poked his head out from the door of her room, listening carefully for any sound or movement. Nothing. Walking back, he grabbed the sheets and headed down the stairs.

As he stuffed down the blackened sheets into the washing machine, he knew that now was the best time to leave and get away. He simply die if Tifa found out about his arm. She would be so worried and concerned…she would have to aid him every day…plus at the fact there was no cure, who knows what else her reaction would be.

After getting the washer going, he ambled back towards the stairs, something caught his eyes. On the bar countertop was a note Tifa left him.

- Cloud

Out getting groceries and running a few errands. I might be awhile out.

Today I want you to stay home since you haven't been yourself lately.

Don't worry about the deliveries either; you can take a day off from that right?

_Well that's a first_

_I've never took a break off deliveries_

Which was true. He hated taking breaks off deliveries. He would feel so useless just sitting around and doing absolutely nothing but stay in bed, like Tifa wanted. It would leave Tifa doing all the work, which obviously bothered him.

Crumbling the note he threw it in the trash can and headed back up the stairs. He went back to Tifa's room and sat on the mattress rubbing as his throbbing temples. Migraines were randomly kicking in. Muscles in his left arm felt unbearably sore and sticky. Lord how he abhorrence this. Was he going to be able to even leave? In this kind of condition? Of course. He had to.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It wasn't until late afternoon when he shut the bar door behind him. He made sure the door was locked and the key was underneath the mat. He also made sure that the laundry was done, the bed was fixed, and that his arm was wrapped and covered by black cloth he had sewn onto his pauldron. Cloud had his things gathered; sword, wrapping bandages, materia case, and other things with him. He was quite surprised that Tifa still wasn't home yet. But on the other hand it was a good thing, or else he wouldn't be doing what he was doing. Feeling extremely weak, he climbed up on his motorcycle and turned on the engine smelling its sweet scent of burning gas through his nostrils.

"Cloud!"

_Tifa?_

The blond turned his head over his shoulder.

Tifa.

_Shit. Fucking shit…_

_When the hell did she get here?_

He turned his head back around.

"Cloud! Wait! Where are you going?"

He revved up the engine pretending not to hear her.

_Damn it, Cloud! It's already too late! _

_You looked back at her!_

_What are you doing?_

_Go_

_Just go…it's for the best…_

_For both her and you…_

_GO!_

Before he could even react he felt warm hands clamp on his contaminated arm. He winced in pain as she held his arm with a tight grip. The pain felt like he just got shot or something in the arm.

"What are you doing? Where the hell are you going?" She shouted over the motor, her eyes burning with emotions as she held groceries in one hand.

"Let go…"

"Stop. _What_ are you _doing_? I told you not to worry about the deliveries today!"

"It's not…look I just have to leave for a while—"

"Where? Why?" She questioned, refusing to let him go. She really didn't want to lose him.

"Look…I just can't be here with you…It'll just make things worse…" Cloud sighed. He was in no mood to talk to her.

"No!...no, no you don't—"

Her grip loosened and that's when Cloud zoomed off. Right there, not even letting her finish her statement. He knew if he would have stayed there any longer she her spell would have charmed him back into staying with her. He pondered on how she'd take his leave. Should he go back? Now? Later? What?

_Just keep going._

_You first need to get yourself under control…_

_And find out more of this shit…_

_Whatever you do…just don't…_

It was too late. He took a glance back behind him, just enough to actually see her expression on her elegant visage. Life seemed to be sucked right out of it. It twisted with odium and dejection. Her fragile body looked like it would break and crumble into millions of pieces any minute. Her hand seemed to have lost all strength as grocery bags collapsed to the solid concrete. The blond was gone in minutes before her eyes. His bike infused within the thousands of others in the stream of people and automobiles.

"He'll come back…" The brunette said aloud to herself as she brushed some of her parted bangs from her face. She continued to watch from the distance, feeling the warm sunrays of a soon to be setting sun. Brown eyes then shifted to the sky letting her mind wander, hoping to get the troublesome feeling out of her. The sky was cloudless as she stood there; taking in its magnificent shades of deep lavender and reds, feeling the air chill for the coming of night.

"He just…needs some time…he'll come back."


	4. Psychosis

**Chapter IV: Psychosis**

Time seemed endless after that. Automobiles seemed to lose their haste, the stores lost their bright colors, and the sky seemed to lose its normal blue. However the people were worse, homeless children scattered amongst the streets infected with the stigma, unwanted and deserted. Some even died right there where they sat suffering and in pain. Their lifeless bodies lay in the streets for the other to see. Those unaffected avoided them, with faces twisting with distaste and dread, rejecting them and leaving them heartbroken. It almost felt like his eyes opened for the first time, actually seeing and taking the time to see what the real world was like. The world he was a part of…and maybe even parting.

The bike soon slowed to a stopping point as the light flicked red on a four way intersection. He could feel his hands bleed from the cuts still not healing from the other night as he squeezed at the brakes. His heart felt as if it were sinking deeper and deeper within his body as sat there. His gaze was off set from the road over towards the sidewalk. Something wasn't quite right. His body, soul, mind didn't seem full. Something was missing, missing deep in his cold heart…

"Mommy!"

Without notice, his eyes were tracing a boy and a woman on the side of the street as cars flew. The boy looked just like the woman, who Cloud guessed was his mother, straight brown hair and blue-eyed. They were impecunious as he could tell by their clothes, rags and torn. Though they almost looked like the most exultant people walking the earth. Strangely, both were marked. For the boy, it inked at his hands while the mothers staining both her arms. Their once walking pace ceased as the boy pulled off to the side of an ally kneeling down.

"My hands, mommy. My hands. They're so…they ache again." The boy looked down at his hands, puss leaking out.

"Why are they bleeding?" He questioned looking back up to his mother, trying to hide his emotions.

The woman just smiled back as her petite figure leaned over the youngling. A tiny hand began stroking his hair.

"Be strong, child. Thing happen to people for a reason."

"…I know. But I'm tired…and it hurts. It hurts really, really bad." The child complained. "Am I gonna die?"

The mother continued to smile, holding her tiny hand out to her son to help him up.

"We all have to die someday, son. But have hope, enjoy your life now. Come, let's get ice cream."

That caught the boy's attention. Immediately he got up with the offered hand and continued to stroll along with his mother side by side, ecstatic. They were _happy_. Even with the incurable disease. Cloud was awestruck for a moment, almost trying to soak in the scene again. Happy? With the stigma? What kind of fools were they?

_BEEEEP! BEEP BEEPBEEP_

"C'mon! Let's go! It's friggin' green, buddy!"

Not paying attention once again. Getting himself back together, he got off his feet and headed down towards the church. It was the only spot he could think of right off the back. Though he normally dropped by there often when work was slow or when culpability flooded his body, even sometimes to try and relax and get away from everyone.

It was an astronomical, mature church. It still stood strong like it did years ago even though half of it was breaking down. Old oak was used for its structures as its heights touched the lavender sky. Even some of the glass, finely detailed windows still reflected beauteous colors. Pews stood lifelessly inside as flawless sea of Easter lilies of yellow and white lifted the room with radiance.

The man stood there in the mitts of the hale and hearty flower bed staring off into the ground below him. Memories and flashbacks played in his head. His mind then somehow drifted back to the boy and the woman.

_'Be strong, child…'_

"Be strong…"

_'Things happen to people for a reason…'_

_'We all have to die someday'_

_'Have hope…'_

_'Enjoy your life now'_

He cringed in pain at the last statement. Enjoy life? With this kind of pain? This kind of sickness that gets in everyone's way? Cloud practically erupted in anger and envy towards the woman. How could she? How could she just smile at her son that?

"What nonsense…" The blond spat as he sat down suddenly feeling insanely tired. Fatigue waved over him as rage still burned inside. Loneliness bit at him, which was strange, but he knew why. He used to be never alone since living with Tifa and Marlene, all before the emerging peculiar illness. They were always there, every day for him and night. He at least knew that someone was in the house and around him but now, he felt like no one was. He felt deep inside that his heart ached, almost longing for something but he ignored it. And pain was growing too unbearable again.

Cloud lifted his covered arm, seeing his flesh literally _crawling_. It looked like actual worms were running down his arm and spewing out at his fingertips as black gush. His arm had almost completely lost its natural color on top, looking like it mutated to a blackish brown. It was better looking than how it was this morning, but probably not in better condition. He felt totally jaded in anger.

Suddenly his phone rang that laid next to his sleeping bag. Brilliant blue eyes were fixed onto the electronic device watching it vibrate on its own with no one to pick it up. Of course he wasn't going to answer the phone. He had nothing to say to no one. But, really he knew it was most likely going to be Tifa. Lord, she was the only person who mainly called him…probably the only one. Barret and everyone else knew to either text him or just tell him whenever they get a chance to see him about whatever they needed to tell him. But, _whatever_. He didn't want to speak to her now.

As his heart beats quickly, and his head grew light, ideas formed in his head. He glanced back at his…what seemed like metamorphosing arm.

_The pain…_

_I have to get it out…_

_It hurts so much…_

_I can't…_

_I've got to…_

His eyes scanned for something, anything that could help him. They fell upon his sheath just abreast of him that still held his blades. His left hand moved towards it, but he hesitated. Second thoughts swarmed in…but the pain…it hurt so much. He didn't want to die either. For goodness sake he couldn't even tell if his arm was still alive or just flat dead.

_Fuck it._

His gloved fingers grasped one of his blades, and he could see his face reflected upon the object. He moved the blade next to this arm. His thoughts debated and bickered furiously inside, but his body kept going. His body didn't care. It just wanted the damn thing out of him. With a good wave he sliced opened his arm like it was nothing. Dark, rich burgundy fluid flowed spilling into the white and yellow petals and lush green stems. Puss soon synthesized with the flowing blood. His teeth grind together as his senses wake, fully alive. He jabbed harder, digging deeper in his arm but careful not to cut it off. Blood seemed endless as the drips formed puddles. The lilies were no longer white and yellow where he saw, only red and black.

_Get out of me_

_Get out_

_GET OUT_

The blade seemed to have a mind out its own as it continued to dig. His phone rang again, the vibration suddenly sounding insanely loud in his ears.

_'You haven't been yourself…'_

_'…I can still sense that you're not okay.'_

_'You tell me you're all right, but when I look at you…you're not.'_

His heart raced. Hot sweat dripped. Breathing grew heavy. Energy left his arms.

"She can sense it…?" Mako eyes shifted to the ringing phone her lustrous face picture flashing in the tiny screen. She was still calling him.

After waiting until his cell stopped moving, he removed the blade from his arm in feebleness. Sanity managed to be regained in his head again. Pain seemed to leave his whole body while the left arm was left in numbness. It almost seemed worth doing to himself, he thought, since it did get rid of most of the pains. He just had to deal without sensation in his left arm.

_'Cloud!–_

_Be careful!'_

Sighing, the young man arose from the garden of tarnish lilies towards his bag he brought to shove all of his basic needs in and got out the wrapping tape. While enfolding his arm, eyes drifted towards the phone.

_'…you know I'll listen and understand…'_

_'If something's wrong just tell me.'_

_'I can help you.'_

_'…I'm here'_

_STOP._

He growled as he turned away from the mobile. There was no way he was ever, EVER, going to tell her. I didn't matter what she said or what his mind thinks, it wasn't going to happen. Besides, it would just make the hell he was in much more hellish and bring a bunch of other people hell. All because of him. All of his shit.

After bandaging his wound he decided he needed to get out of this place just for a second. He grabbed his phone and blades and strode out of the run down church. But he stopped for a moment, outside the doors. He stared at his phone. He really didn't feel like being bothered at all. Instead of taking the phone he laid on it the handle of his bike and walked off. He didn't really care, besides it's not like anyone comes and visits this old shitty looking church. Cloud just wanted to go somewhere, away from the memories…from life.


	5. Discourse

**Chapter V: Discourse**

'Today, one of our big stories involves a strange disease breakout. ShinRa doctors have been taking desperate measures on the new disease labeled as Geostigma. From what doctors are informing us, it is currently incurable, found in most children and others who have had contact with the lifestream…symptoms include mental weakness, unbearable physical pain, a bruise looking mark anywhere on the body with black puss leaking out, and even death. Doctors are still seeing if the disease is contagious or not…once we accumulate more information we will be sure to broadcast it soon. In other news today, we have updates on Midgar…'

Blue optics studied the screen, watching the anchorwoman in her brown suit reporting the news. He was barely able to keep up with her. Cloud was half listening, as he promptly chomped down a sandwich sitting at the one of the stools at the counter. It was an undersized bar, probably the smallest one he'd ever been to. It was probably just slightly bigger than Marlene's room. But, it was nice. It just was much more shittier compared to Tifa's bar: walls plain with nothing but newspaper articles on SOLDIER, the chair sitting mats were ripped, floorboard was scratched up badly. No one was in it except for him and the bartender.

"Lord…it's a shame what happen'd to all 'em folks in Midgar, eh?" The bartender muttered with a thick accent as he continued to wipe robustly at a beer mug clean. He was a bald man, replacing his hair with a brown golf hat, petite in his figure. He had noticeable yellow stained teeth and looking about in his late forties. He looked like he was dressed as best as he could in a long sleeve white dress collared shirt, brown dress pants, and a black apron. His brown eyes flickered from the infinitesimal television screen to Cloud.

"Hungry were ya'? Whaddya say to a drink, eh? Nice cold beer on the house?"

"Ugh…sure, sure." The blond uttered out rubbing as he rubbed temples at the wild head ace booming. The stigma symptoms were kicking in harder this time.

"Got a mighty fine wound there, chum." The bald man stated as he was quick retrieving the man's drink, sliding it to him. Cloud took a glimpse at his arm, blood and blackness already tingeing the white tape.

"Yeah…" Rubbing his arm, he changed the subject. "So, it looks like you don't get many customers around here?" Strange. He was actually talking to the man. The bartender chuckled.

"Ha, so ya' noticed? Yeh, that's why the place looks like shit. Don't have the gil to fix up or expand the damn place. I kinda lost my customers to that bloody bar closer in Edge. Lessee…damn! What was it called? Ah, yeh, Seventh Heaven? That's the place…but I hear there's a barmaid quite, eh, appealin' down there. Ha, so I don't blame those bloody fools for leavin' me."

Suddenly Cloud choked on the alcoholic beverage as he started to drink. I brought it down with a hard thump on the counter. He stared at the man for a moment as he managing to conceal his frown from the serving man. He pursued his conversation.

"But, there are times where the place is hell. Some of 'em drunkies from the other bar head over here drinkin' some more and shit like that. Get sick all over the place…ack!" The male then turned away, focusing his attention on cleaning the rest of his dishes. Cloud remained silent as he drank, occasionally bouncing glances from the television to the man.

"Yeh…it was kinda strange seein' you come jus' waltzin' in, eh? It's rare gettin' your kind in here."

_My kind?_

The man then glanced over his shoulder as his hands worked in the soapy water.

"So tell meh, how's it goin' for ya'? Why the bloody hell are ya' even in a place like this, mmm?"

"It's been…good."

He knew it was a lie, a flat out plain _bloody _lie. But he had to say something to hopefully get a step closer in shutting him up. Then again, he felt sorry for the guy. Their-Tifa's business was extremely popular. It practically drove all the other local bars out of business, taking their costumers and gil. The poor guy had no one to talk to either…

"Good? _Good_? Bahaha! That's a god damn first! Where in hell have ya' been from all the chaos in this fuckin' place? Eh? 'Seventh Heaven'? Bahaha!" The brown-eyed man laughed as he turned on the faucet washing the foam off a plate.

Cloud grunted, uneasy with the man who somehow was truly making excellent guesses on where he had been. Shutting up, he sank deeper into the stool with his back hunched over and drank. He tired to enclose himself in his own shell. Eventually, the man got his point as he grew soundless.

"Eh, boy, I'm only messin' with ya'. Don't go all cold on me. Now, really, ya' okay? I mean when I saw you comin' in with that whopper on your arm I was pretty much thinkin' you jus' got done with the real hell…" The petite man said, shutting off the water and wiping his hands on a hand towel. He turned back to Cloud, shifting his weight from his left leg to his right.

"Well?"

"I guess not."

"Ya' _guess_? How the hell you _guess_?"

The blond slammed his glass down after the last sip. His impassive looked churned with annoyance. This guy was going way too far for him. He didn't need to know about-

"Look, kid, I could possibly help your ass. You come in here, you get your shit and you talk. Got it? …Quietness is'a getting' to me lately…"

"Alright, alright…I mean…let's just put it as life isn't looking too good for me…"

The bartender leaned back against the sink behind him, taking out a cigar and a lighter from his pocket. He shook his head as he wedged the tobacco filled stick between his teeth and lit it, giving out deep puffs morphing the air into smelling like vanilla and smoke.

"Yeh…bankrupted?"

"No."

"Single parent?"

"Nope."

"Girlfriend problems?"

"…No."

"Stigma?"

He opened his mouth to say something, but instead just looked over at the man. He watched as his light brown eyes were fixed on his arm. He watched as he sucked in the cigar then blowing out smoke rings.

"Ehhhh…I know where ya' comin' from. All that pain and shit. All that black bleedin' and mental crap. Hurts like fuck."

Suddenly he began fidgeting with his right sleeve rolling it high up. He rolled it up past his elbows exposing black, burnt looking skin that started dripping. Geostigma. Yet another one infected. Cloud sighed, practically everyone he saw had the stupid thing.

"Fuckin'…" Quickly the bartender grabbed a wash rag. "It's shittin' already! And I jus' got enough damn gil to buy this bloody shirt!" He was silent for a moment as he cleaned up his arm.

"Damn, kid. Yours is like the _shit_ compared to mine. What, you tried to do your own surgery or somethin'?" He chuckled. He then jammed his cigar tip into the closest ashtray. Cloud remained the same.

_Yeah, basically…_

"Ah, I like ya', kid. Nice n' quiet. Don't talk much…but ya' listen. Ha…"

Both men were silent for a while, pondering in deep thought.

"One more question…why ya' over here, eh? Someone like ya' should be with a girl, workin' a job and crap like that," The man stated, folding his arms across his chest as he tilted his head to the side as if interested.

"I would be if I didn't have this…thing in my life. I just wanted to get away from it all-"

"Well, boy, ya' can't keep gettin' away from life like that. Jus' isn't gonna work. Yeh, I understand ya' gotta get away from the shit sometimes, but ya' eventually gotta come back. How the hell ya' think I'm livin'? I'm still workin' even WITH the disease and, ha, with few customers. And lord, you're still young too. God, go live your damn life. That's what I'd be doin' if I was ya'. Gahhhh…if only I was fuckin' twenty years younger…"

_Yeah, but you're NOT me._

_I'm Cloud._

…_It's different than what you think._

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was late at night when he left the bar. The sky held a smooth violet color as a white moon bored down upon the ancient church along with the night sky stars. The air was cooler, and gooseflesh run across his arms. His feet dragged as they stumbled on the steps, but he stopped. His phone. Turning around while he groaned, he ambled towards Fenrir. His eyes outlined the handles, which were just pitch black blurs, finding nothing there. Not even the blue glow screen his phone usual had…and he remembered he left it on.

"Gah…what the hell…" Cloud growled, having the urge to kick or throw something.

But soon, his bike began to take form again, from a contour to an actual motorcycle. There was light. It was growing brighter and brighter by the second coming from behind him. Sounds of a car were roaring closer and closer. Cloud turned shielding his eyes from the light, finding a truck he knew he'd always remember. Tifa. She halted the car to stop just feet away, opening the car door with the engine still running and stepping out.

"Cloud?" She asked, as if she didn't recognize him at first.

"Uh?"

"I need to come with me for a second…"

He shifted his weight uncomfortably turning his head away.

"I can't–"

"Please! Just for a moment…it's really important!"

"Why? What's wrong?"


	6. Mizzle

**Chapter VI: Mizzle**

"Just tell me! Wh–"

"Shhhh!"

It took Cloud only seconds to realize that Tifa was damn serious. Though he could barely make out her shapes and outlines, he could feel her intensifying venomous glare piercing at him like knives piercing through his skin. But his attention was soon distracted by hearing tiny sobs behind the closed door of the woman, a familiar childish voice.

Both stood just outside of Marlene's room upstairs from the bar. Darkness swallowed the bar symbolizing the time of night. He could hear light taps gently continued a steady, calm beat against the roof top just above them. Rain.

"Marlene…?" The blond guessed, his expression stumped.

Tifa simply sighed, holding up her ivory index finger to her pale pink lips signaling him to remain in his quiet state. Blond eyebrows scrunched together, irritated at her. Why couldn't she just tell him what was wrong? Instead now he was apparently making a huge scene. Lord, how in the world was he supposed to get back to the church in this kind of fucking weather?

She shifted around turning her back to him as her delicate hand twisted the dull golden knob and pushed open. There before him was Marlene standing beside her bed watching over something in it. Tifa soon joined her, standing at the end of the bed, her hard brown eyes never leaving his. She placed a palm on the bed's frame. Blue eyes stared back.

It was strange being in Marlene's room. Cloud hardly ever entered the room since it was always occupied or the door was shut. The room felt gloomy as it held the night's black. A lamp on her night stand tried to brighten the room as it casted long shadows of dolls and stuffed animals. Marlene's drawings were hung up scattered across the room sharing with the small shelves full of book and bears. Bright curtains draped from the windows touched with diamonds as the moon tried its best to sneak a peek inside.

"Tifa…" The little girl finally spoke.

The brunette stared for just a moment longer at the male with what seemed like a longing face for a split second. She turned facing the child, still leaving the man in his bewilderment.

"Not waking up?" Her voice seemed to soften the room.

"…No," Marlene sighed, as if she did all she could.

"But he's breathing right?"

The girl nodded, as her small fingers began to stroke at something.

"Do you think Cloud can help him?" Her voice quivered. She turned around half way facing the man, her braided hair swinging behind her as the pink ribbon bounced. Her visage appeared tried and worried.

"Can you help him?"

"Who are you talking about? What's going on? What's wrong?" Anger exploded in his tone, destroying the softness at in instance.

"Come," Tifa replied, much more controlled.

He hesitated as he took the first step but soon pulled himself together and strode over towards the bed. It was lumpy, a small body inside of it. And there before him was a boy.

Cloud froze. Every muscle in his body, his mind, his heart, everything stopped.

Yes, it was a boy. And not just any boy. He could barely make it out, but he was sure of it. _Absolutely_ sure of it. He even took a second glance again just to see if his eyes deceived him. God, how it made his stomach turn inside out. There, upon his fore head slightly covered by his auburn curly bangs…

Geostigma.

"A…boy?" Cloud tried his best not to sound so shocked or amused by this marked boy. "This is why you brought be back here?" He looked over at Tifa.

She looked away from his beauteous eyes staring off down at the floorboard. Her face swayed from hurt to incensement. "Didn't you notice something was missing at the church?"

He thought for a moment, but nothing came to mind.

"…What?"

"Your phone."

"What about…" He reached for his pocket, finding it didn't contained what he had hoped. The bike handles. He put it there last, he finally remembered. It must have fallen when he drove over to the bar. Right? Or did he lose it before then? The blonde's mind was still a little hazed from drinking.

"The kid. He used it. And he called me."

"…What?"

Tifa parted her lips to say more, but was cut off by a moan bursting from the bed.

"Cloud! Tifa! Help him!" Marlene exclaimed as she tugged at this pants, her eyes never leaving the boy. Tifa quickly made her way at the bedside on Marlene's other side. All eyes watched the auburn haired boy groan for a moment before turning on his side. He started mumbling in such a low tone that everyone practically missed it. "Mum…Dad…Mrs. Levy…"

"Tifa!" Marlene whined with panic fluttering in her hazel eyes.

"Shhh, Marlene, please. He's trying to sleep. Let's leave him alone tonight and wait till morning. Okay? You've been up too late anyways. You need to head to bed."

"But…but where will I sleep?" She asked, feeling the wave of fatigue sweep over her.

"You can sleep in my room tonight. Now go get some rest…" Tifa said as she kneeling down to the child's level. "Tomorrow you can help me aid him, okay?"

Marlene nodded silently. She took one last glance at the boy and exited the room, leaving Cloud and Tifa behind.

Cloud could see her rise in the corner of his eye as he watched the boy breathe and trying to sleep. Did she know? Did she know what it was? That mark on his forehead? Who was he?

"Hey…"

The blond tilted his head towards her, his eyes eventually fixed up on her. He responded with silence. She shifted her weight for a moment, feeling the qaucheness heat up again. Yet her eyes couldn't hold contact.

"Come on, I'll get your phone for you," She said putting on a half smile as she turned and left the room. Cloud hurried after her.

He trailed her to his room, following the dim lamp light she turned on. She was pulling out his phone as he entered from the drawer in his nightstand. She was sitting at the edge of his bed. She held it for a moment as he shut the door and stopped just inches away from her.

"Here," She whispered as her arm extended towards him.

Removing his gloves, Cloud took it examining it. It was a little dirty with some dirt between some of the buttons and scratched again, adding to the collection. After sticking in his pocket he attempted to turn and leave, but he stopped himself as Tifa spoke.

"You're going to stay here tonight, right?" She asked with her head lowered as if she were speaking to the ground.

"I…I don't know…" He said, staring out the window behind her.

"Well, I don't think you want to drive back to the church with Fenrir in this kind of weather, do you? And its nightfall…"

Honestly, he loved the rain. Something about it mollified him, appeased him. He liked standing in it, letting the drops fall to his face. It always helped him find some peace. He also loved hearing the droplets tap against the window and roof. It helped him sleep and relax. But, it was late and he still was partially drunk…

His blue gaze flickered over towards the woman. Her head was turned over her shoulder watching the weather as he was before. Dark brown parted bangs covered her eye as the rest of the locks dangled down, kissing at her bare shoulders and black clothes. They trailed her pale pink lips that were sealed together to her perfectly proportioned cheek bones to her skin. They followed her arms and to her curves until they reached her feet.

The blond shook his head. He hated that he was so hopelessly romantic.

"If you want me to stay…"

"Of course. You need a place to sleep and eat in the morning," She said, turning back to him smiling.

"Yeah…I guess…"

Silence began to grow as both grew soundless, listening to the sweet melody of the rain.

"Hey…" Cloud began.

"Mm?" Tifa cocked her head, curious. It was rare when he ever broke the silence.

"…Thanks."

"Anytime," She stated as her smile stretched for only a moment longer. "Do you mind if I ask you something?"

He looked at her questioningly.

"What?"

"You sure?"

"Go ahead."

She leaned her body forward as her mouth opened to speak. She hesitated, holding it back. Sighing, she leaned back again. She motioned to Cloud to sit with her before she would speak. Growing insanely uncomfortable, he obeyed sitting down next to her.

"What?" He asked again letting his eyes run through the lines of the floorboard.

"Why did you leave today? It seemed like something was wrong and then you just…left. And the night before…" She stopped, trying to see his expression in his eyes though they were concealed by his blond bangs.

"…I want to say I'm sorry for what I did. I really don't know what got into me. I just…but something happened that night too. You suddenly collapsed to the floor at my feet. I just want to know what's going on…"

_You don't have to apologies about what happened that night. Hell, you could of called it the night of my dreams._

_But I just can't tell you what's wrong with me. Your world would crumble, my world would crumble…_

_I'm not fit enough to fight for the family…you._

_The stigma, jenova, him…_

_I'm just not good enough…I'm just not good enough for you…_

"I mean I guess it's okay if you don't wanna answer…" Tifa whispered as she touched his shoulder with such a light touch he could barely feel her. He winced.

_I'm not good enough?_

_Why does it have to be me?_

"…Cloud? Cloud can you hear me?"

"I…No…" His heart grew heavy as rage enkindled inside.

"No?"

"I just…"

"Wha–"

"I can't take it anymore! When I'm with you, I feel like I'm _nothing_!" He growled.

He sighed. "…I feel like I'm nothing…That's why I don't like it when you touch me, that's why I never touch you, why I never even think about you. Because when I start to, it just _reminds_ me that I'm not good enough…"

Tifa was quiet, her hand removed from his shoulder.

"You just don't know how much I–"

_Whoa!_

Wrong choice of words. Cloud didn't realize what just poured from his mouth. He quickly turned to the beauty as he shifted his body to face her. Her eyes were lowered to his hands as her face seemed plain and impenetrable.

"Tifa," He called to her, a slight worried expression catching him.

"Do I really make you feel like that? Nothing?" She asked softly.

"No! It's just…" The woman looked back up into deep blue eyes.

"You don't know how much I what?"

The man only stared back, fear burning in his eyes. Fear of losing the woman of his dreams, his hopes, his everything.

"Why are you so afraid? What?"

"I don't know…" He mumbled as he rubbed his infected arm staring down at it. "I'm sorry…"

Sighing, Tifa moved closer to Cloud and wrapped an arm around his waist. She couldn't help it since the man looked like he was in need of reassurance and forgiveness. "Everything's okay, alright? You've had a long day."

One hell of a day, as a matter of fact. But it was alright. His arm was calming down now, finally during the right moment. He was thankful for that. But he was surprised with himself that he didn't move away from her as she placed her arm around him. Maybe he was still drunk, or maybe he really needed it. Either way, he was fine with it. His eyes shut as her head leaned against his shoulder and her hand rubbed at his side. Relaxed, he soon found himself drifting off to sleep.


	7. Wonder

**Chapter VII: Wonder**

Movement.

Tender, warm skin.

Soft, tickling hair.

Exotic florescence scents.

_I'm dreaming…_

A low, soft groan rumbled at the back of his throat of pleasure. The alluring aroma scent filled his lungs. The scent was strong…too strong, but it only made him hunger for more. As he inhaled deeper, he could feel hair ends brushing his visage. He could feel the warm heat against his body, the delicate skin…the shape of a body…

_Am I dreaming?_

It all seemed too real. It felt real, it definitely smelt real…

"…Dreaming?" Cloud whispered as his eyelids gradually opened.

It was far from a dream, beyond one. He found himself lying on top of the blankets and sheets with a woman in his arms sleeping away in dreams. Tifa. She slept on her side with her back facing him halfway curled up. She was still fully dressed as her body rose and fell again and again. His arm was wrapped perfectly around her slender waist with his body touching hers. His eyes stared into the sea of dark brown hair tracing down to her exposed neck as his chin rested at her shoulders.

He shook his head just to make sure he was really awake.

And he was.

The blond was quick as he slowly scooted away from Tifa and scrambled to the edge of the bed, sitting quietly. His heart felt like it was going to thump right out of this chest as it beat rapidly inside. Blood pumped through is veins as infected arm felt swollen and numb. He looked up.

The stigma.

Fear enkindled in his body as he took a glance over his shoulder. The martial artist's eyes were still sealed shut in darkness, her mind lost in her own fantasy world. Did she find out? Did she look at his arm before she fell into her dreamland? The questions taunted him practically driving his mind insane. He turned back around staring at his hands of peach flesh.

_Should I leave?_ He mused.

Extraordinary blue eyes flashed over towards the digital clock sitting on top of the night stand next to the bed.

12:17 a.m

He groaned. Would he ever get enough sleep just for one night? Rising from the bed he trekked out of the room watching the steps as he went. Hands and feet felt around until he came upon the stairs. He stopped for a moment as his eyes flickered towards Tifa's room. He listened carefully for any movement of Marlene. Dead silence. He then drew his attention towards Marlene's room, where the boy slept. Again he listened intently, hearing only the deep breathing and exhaling coming from the room. He slithered down the stairs and out of the bar with ease.

_I just need to leave just for a moment._

_Just to get some fresh air…_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The night was quiet and gentle as a cool breeze swept through his hair and clothes. It was a bright night; clouds seemed to be erased from the charcoal sky to let the full moon express itself. The scent of rain still blemished the air and coated the incessant field of long, deep green grass. He could feel his clothes and hair getting wet as he laid there in the middle of it with his arms folded, pillowing his head. Eyes stared back at the staring moon pouring silver light to the world. Relaxation slowly began to take over as his eyes began to droop.

"Maybe I should head back…" He muttered. He was only about two hours away from Edge.

_I don't wanna go back_

_I feel so relaxed…_

_I could almost stay here forever…_

"Maybe you should."

"Huh?"

He was startled for a moment as he realized he left his guard down again. Cloud sat up, looking over behind him to find Vincent Valentine.

He appeared like an unfamiliar shadow, concealed in shades of blacks and reds. Eyes of a deep burgundy glowed in the moonlight as his skin shimmered a silver-gray. Long raven hair caught the breeze, flowing smoothly along with it. He stood with excellent posture as his eyes traced and studied the sky as if it were a piece of stupendous art work. His visage appeared to be indecipherable and pokerfaced.

"You were thinking aloud," The man's bass, cultivating voice spoke.

"Yeah…so uh, long time no see, eh? How've you been?"

"Fairly well." He replied as he shifted himself into a sitting position where he stood. "What about you?"

Cloud turned back around as he glanced at this arm. Vincent could keep a secret, he knew that. But probably nothing that was life threatening. Like the stigma. Would he? Would he tell the others? Tifa?

"You all right?" Vincent asked again, eyes flickering over towards the male's hunched back.

"Yeah."

It grew quiet only for a moment.

"So, what are you doing out here?" Cloud asked.

"I left Kalm to pay a visit to Tifa, Barret, if he was in town, and you in Edge. But it seems you came to visit me first on my travels." Vincent stated as he propped his knee up and balanced his clawed arm on it while the other arm anchored him. He continued.

"But my question is, what are _you_ doing out here this late? You're going to worry Tifa."

"I know…" Cloud grumbled. "I just kind of wanted to get away. Things have been a little hectic."

"Hectic?"

"Well…" The blond stopped, but Vincent was patient.

"Tifa found this boy. At the church. He used my cell to call her."

"Ahh…a child…"

"Yeah but, there's something wrong with the kid." Cloud tilted his head towards Vincent.

"Do you know anything about geostigma?" He questioned.

"Hmmm…well I have heard rumors of it. I've heard it's found in mostly children, that there is a blotch that forms like a bruise and it's fatal. But I have not seen it myself. Does the child have it?"

"I think so. He was in a lot of pain too. Tifa and Marlene tried to help him yesterday."

"Interesting…" The raven haired man uttered. "How is she?"

"Tifa?"

"Yes."

"She's…fine I guess."

Honestly, he really didn't know. She probably wasn't anyways. He was always tangled up in working deliveries and sleeping. He didn't make the time to just be with her. He constantly told himself he would, but he just didn't. But it was worse now, he can't even bear to look at her or be with her. Because he always thought: _I'm not good enough_. Cloud decided to change the subject.

"Have you heard from any of the others?"

"Indeed I have. Red is back in Cosmo Canyon helping out Bugenhagen with his health. Cid has been building another airship in Rocket Town with Shera. And Yuffie…"

Cloud looked over at the man. He was in deep thought as he stared off into the night.

"Hmph. I'm not quite sure where she could be…but they all wish to come by and visit sometime soon."

"Hey…what would you do if you knew you had geostigma and knew that you were gonna die?"

Vincent was startled for a moment as he glanced at the man. He chuckled quietly, but uneasy.

"Thinking aloud again?"

"Heh, yeah."

"Hmmm…well…I—why so curious?"

"I'm…not really sure why. I guess I'm just…curious. I don't know. But really, what would you do with your life?"

The ruby eyed man cocked his head. He began to wonder what was going on in that small mind of his. Vincent's eyes lowered as they ran through the thick blades of grass touching his clothes and body. He watched the rain droplets on the grass imitated the stars in the sky, twinkling back at him. There was silence as he thought, figuring out the right words to say to Cloud.

"I would try and enjoy myself. Surround me with whatever makes me…content and forget about histories and just think about what's happening now. And fight to stay alive. There are many wonders in this world yet to be discovered." Vincent grunted. "Worried about the kid?"

He wasn't quite concerned with the boy, but much more of himself. Besides, he only caught a glimpse of the kid's forehead. For all he knew I could have been just a bruise or a burn or something. He thought though deeply of what Vincent told him.

_Try and enjoy myself. Surround myself with content…_

_Forget about the history._

_That sounds so easy._

"Cloud?"

But a thought finally occurred to him. He knew he had geostigma, and he knew he was soon going to die of the disease since there was no cure. And once he was dead, there would be nothing. No more seeing the moon after night showers. No bar, no home. No more friends to talk to like Vincent. No one to emotionally support him. There wouldn't be Tifa. He wouldn't ever see her soft smiles. Or her dark brown eyes flickering with hope and excitement when he got home from working. No skin to touch his…it'd all be gone.

"Cloud." His skin felt a shock of coldness touch his shoulder, shaking him.

"What? I'm sorry. I was–" Vincent hovered over him, staring at him with anxiety.

"Go back to the bar. It's almost three."

Cloud nodded as he stood up lethargically and lightheaded. He was drenched with water and the scent of grass as some hairs of his blond bangs stuck to his forehead. Even the bandages at his arm were soaked, easily revealing some black stains yet thankfully hidden by the black cloth. This was going to be hard explaining what he was doing late at night to Tifa looking and smelling like this.

"Yeah." Cloud replied as he trotted over to Fenrir. But he noticed Vincent wasn't trailing him. "Aren't you coming?"

Vincent shook his head. "No. It seems there's already too much going on over there. I wouldn't want to be another headache. Something's probably bothering you too."

"Personally, I think you're far from being a headache. Now Yuffie on the other hand, that's a different story." Cloud said and gave a smirk. "But you're welcome any time to come. And I think it would be a good time now to since you're near us. But it's whatever you wanna do."

"I'll think about it. I might call later on today. Give Tifa my greetings."

"Sure thing." Cloud said before he revved up the motor and drove off into the blackness of the night.

"There's something strange about him…" The red cloaked man muttered.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

New colors formed in the sky as Cloud drove up to the bar. Lavenders and oranges smeared from a corner of the earth where the sun was bound to rise. Quiet nimbus clouds came rolling in though not threatening as it began to drizzle. The city was slowly coming alive as a few people and cars were present, splashing into a plethora of scattered water puddles.

The male entered the bar with stealth, praying as he went to not make a sound. He was only inches away from the stairs when a thrust of pain electrified him. It seemed to paralyze him from moving any farther falling to his knees. He cried out silent cries, letting only a few quiet groans escape. His right hand clutched to his left arm to dear life like it was going to fall off or something. He could feel the black liquid oozing out from in between the bandages and to his bare hand. His blue eyes seemed to glow bright, pupils transforming into parallel slits. He could feel the stigma eating away inside him like some kind of a monster.

"M-Mister?" a small voice came from behind him as Cloud leaned his body against the wall to support him. As he struggled, he knew he could not answer the shapeless contour before him. For only agonizing cries would pour out. He glared over at the figure, a figure of a boy forming. He heard a gasp.

"Wh-whats wrong with with with your…eyes? Mister? A-are you okay?"

Slowly gaining control over himself, he growled. "What are you doing up so early? Who are you?"

"I'm sorry, sir! I di–"

"Quiet! You'll wake her up!" Cloud hissed as he tried to whisper and be as calm as he could with the child while baring with the pain.

"I just woke up and came downstairs, but I saw you come in and fall…and I don't know where I am or how I got here. Please mister, I didn't mean to get you angry…" The auburn haired boy said with a small voice. "I'm Denzel, sir. Is…is there something wrong wit–"

"It's all right." Cloud rumbled and sat down against the wall. "I'm fine. Listen, go back upstairs and get some more rest. You need to get all the rest you can get. We'll help you later in the morning. Understand?"

"Y-yes, sir."

The child stood there for a moment frozen, wondering if it was okay to move from the man sitting next to the staircase.

"You didn't see anything tonight. Go." Cloud ordered, eyes still remaining in their slit and glowing mode.

Nodding the boy dashed up the steps and into Marlene's room. He made the whole way with silence, which struck Cloud as unbelievable. How could he be so quiet running up those steps? Cloud always stepped on one creaking part. But he didn't have much care for the boy for long. He was tired.

The blond soon followed the boy's steps heading up the stairs and turned into his room. Tifa still lay where she was on top of the sheets unmoved. Before joining in back with her, Cloud entered into the bathroom to retrieve more wrapping bandages for his bleeding arm. With haste, he cleaned the wound that was just starting to heal and wrapped it. He jammed the black coated wrappings in the trash can making sure to cover it with the more trash. After washing his hands, he headed back to bed tremendously drowsy. He wrapped his arm just above her hips right onto her curve and waited for the sun to rise.


	8. Pancakes

**Chapter VIII: Pancakes**

Restless eyes snapped open to the hazy morning. Sobs echoed softly through the quiet atmosphere. They bounced off the walls in the hallway and slid underneath the door into his room. Cloud sat up on the bed next to Tifa, eyes drifting to the door and listening. Yes, they were weeping noises all right. He groaned as he made his way out of Tifa's tangling arms and out of bed. He dragged himself out in the hallway and over towards the sound. They grew progressively as he crept to Marlene's room. But he stopped just before entering in. Between gasping breaths were mutters. It was the boy.

"_I…I couldn't help anyone…" -sniff-_

"_Not…M-mister Gaskin…or Ms…Levy…"_

"_Why am I so weak?"_

Cloud looked down at the floorboards. Why did that line sound so familiar to his ears? Curiosity struck the man. He wondered what all the boy went through before Tifa came and got him. He decided to knock and try to calm the boy. He knocked twice. There was an impulsive dead silence.

"Hey…" Cloud called as be paused for a moment as if trying to think on how to talk to a child. "You all right in there?"

No response.

"Hey…?"

_Forget it. Just go in._

With a quick twist of the knob he entered in a little girl's room appearing rather gray than pink. The blinds were shut closed making it impossible even for the smallest amount of light to enter in. The room stunk of a foreign scent, the scent of a dirty boy and sweat. Yet the room was vacant. There was no child in the room.

"Hello? Where are you?" Cloud whispered in a friendly tone as he forced himself inside to search. But it wasn't long to spot the boy. He sat in a corner which the bed had blocked out his view and the darkness in the room made it tricky to see. The kid was curled up against the wall with his knees to his chin as his lanky arms wrapped firmly and securely around him. Terror flamed in his blue eyes as they gazed upon the man's brawniness before him. Thick auburn hair sat messily on top of his cranium with his side burns and bangs drenched in sweat.

Cloud stared back at the boy for a moment before kneeling down to his level. As he did so, the boy immediately reacted. His feet shuffled, as they rubbed against the floor pressing his back harder against the wall, like he was going to sink in with enough pressure put into it. He choked on the air like he just started breathing again.

"Whoa. Hey, calm down." But boy continued his actions.

"I'm not gonna hurt you. Please…"

Did he really look that scary in the mornings? He didn't have his swords with him or any materia or anything.

"Get away from me! You're gonna die like everyone else! Don't…don't help me! I can manage myself! Please!" The child yelled.

"Shhhh!" Cloud hissed as he glared at Denzel with glowing eyes and slit pupils. Instantly the boy hushed himself, gazing into his eyes with awe. That glow…it seemed to bother the auburn haired boy. His mood suddenly changed as his body loosened and relapsed into tranquility. It was a surprise to Cloud, how fast he changed moods like he was bipolar or something.

"Where am I?" He asked as he noticed Cloud's stare and dropped his gaze to his knees.

The blond settled himself onto the floor. "You're in Edge, a city not too far from Midgar. This is Seventh Heaven, a local bar. Don't you remember how you got here?"

"Not really," Answered the child as his hands began to fidget with the blanket ends that hung from the side of the bed. "I only remember being back in Midgar in some church I think. Everything else is just a blur to me."

"Oh…" Cloud too seemed to drop his gaze as he pondered of what else to ask or say to the boy.

"I'm…" Denzel stopped and waited for the man's attention again. "I'm sorry again for being up last night. I really am…"

Cloud sighed. "No, it should be me apologizing. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. You were just curious and probably confused. I just had a rough night that's all."

"What's your name?" Denzel quizzed.

"Cloud."

"How did you get those eyes?"

Cloud sighed again. This was going the exact opposite of the way he wanted it to. He was supposed to be asking the questions first, not the kid asking him. But bizarrely enough, it was like he could almost relate to him. He could feel the similar feelings flowing through Denzel's body. The similar solitary feeling and fault.

"He's AWAKE! Oh my gosh! Are you okay? Are you hurt? Do you need anything?" A squeaky voice soon chimed in, shaking the room and Denzel. Marlene exploded into the room as she fell to the floor where both Cloud and the boy sat. She landed on her knees and palms peering at the boy with wide brown eyes full of energy and wonder. Denzel disturbed and flabbergasted, only glared back at the raven haired girl.

"What's wrong? Did Cloud say something to you? Did he? Don't worry he won't harm you. Sometimes he can be a little weird."

In response, Cloud only frowned.

_A little weird?_

_What's that supposed to mean?_

"I'm gonna go get Tifa up, mkay? She can help us out and make pancakes! You like pancakes don't you?" Marlene brought herself to her feet as she rambled.

"Wait, Marlene. I'll wake her up. Just go downstairs and wait for her okay?"

She groaned. "Fine. Come on. We can go together! You're gonna like it here with us." Marlene offered the boy a hand as she leaned over him. Totally bemused, Denzel glanced over at Cloud as if asking for permission to go with her. He nodded.

"Go with her. It's all right."

Giving a half smile, the boy sluggishly got up with the assistance of Marlene. Twining her fingers around his, she dashed off dragging the boy behind her. "Hurry and get her up, Cloud! I wanna make pancakes for our new friends! And then show him around and to papa!" She said before heading down the steps vociferously. Cloud followed steps behind heading over to his room where Tifa amazingly was still fast asleep with her back facing him. Lethargic, he sat down on the edge of the bed placing a warm hand just below her shoulder and shook her lightly.

"Tifa," He breathed.

"Hmmm…"

"He's awake."

"Mmm…? Who…" She muttered as she turned over on her back and rubbed her sleepy brown eyes.

"The boy. And Marlene. They both are waiting for you downstairs."

"Oh…sorry. Let me just wake up here…" She sat up brushing back her dark brown bangs from her face and she looked at the man. "You sleep okay?"

His warm hand drifted from her shoulder back to his side. "Huh?"

"You look so tired. And…you smell like grass. And your hair is all matted down and damp." Suddenly emotion flickered in her eyes. "Did you go somewhere?"

Cloud sighed. He knew this was going to happen. He started to open his mouth but stopped. No. He wasn't just going to keep lying to her more. It's just making this day another living hell. He shook his head.

_Just tell her the truth._

"I couldn't really sleep last night. So I thought I could just get some fresh air. I only went off to the grassy fields near Kalm. It wasn't too far."

Still, emotions fired. Her face seemed to be lost in puzzlement. She let her hair fall around her cheeks again. She grew unbearably quiet as well as the bar. Then she gazed back upon him with an illegible face. "And you came back?"

Cloud nodded slowly now reflecting the same bamboozled look. "Yes. I did."

And her face lit up with hope. Joy colored her eyes as they continued their way down her face. Actual happiness. It scared Cloud for a moment. Her pale pink lips spread into a small, factual smile that meant so much more to him than she thought. Smiling was perfect for her visage. That was all he ever wanted to do. Make her smile. He made her smile for real. He smiled back, feeling accomplished and happy for the moment. That moment where she and he were smiling at each other. Where their gazed were lost in each other's eyes, trying to dig deeper in each other…smiling…searching…closer…

"Cloud! Teefaaa!"

Lips nearly inches away, Cloud dropped his head. He had forgotten what his objective was, getting too lost in the moment. Tifa turned away with a light flushing face staring over at the door.

"I guess I should get up," She sighed.

"Yeah…" The blond murmured.

"Well…" She looked over at him. "I'm glad you came back. You wanna sleep some more? You look practically dead."

_Well thanks._

_Just being totally honest I guess…_

"Hmmm. Right now, those pancakes Marlene spoke about really sound good right now."

The brunette laughed. "Hungry? Ah, well of course. I didn't think you had much to eat yesterday. That's probably another reason why you look like a zombie. You have no food in you. But first, you need to take a shower. You still smell like…grass."

"Com'on, Cloud! Do you need help getting Teef up? I can get her up!" Marlene's voice rang again from down below them growing impatient by the minute.

"Just wait for them. I'm sure they—" They heard Denzel interrupted by the little girl.

"Why? It doesn't take THAT long to wake up Tifa…plus I'm really hungry…"

"Uhh…" Cloud looked up back at Tifa. "You better get going. Before she works up a storm…"

The woman nodded as she rotated her legs over the bed and stood up. She stretched out, her hands forming into fists and reached for the sky with a big yawn. Fingers eventually made their ways to her dark eyes to try and rub away the drowsiness that still lingered before travelling to her long hair. He watched her fingers work through the mocha colored hair strands trying to make herself look presentable before going down. She suddenly stopped, looked over her shoulder and caught his stare. His eyes tore away as his head tilted down trying to hide his discomfiture.

"And you better get going too with that shower. Marlene may seem small, but boy she sure can eat. Plus we have another mouth to feed." Tifa said with a smile before leaving the man to clean himself up. But he sat there for a moment realizing what just happened.

_I can't believe it. I just had a whole entire, full conversation with Tifa. Not only that, but she smiled. Did it really just happen?_

_Maybe…_

_Maybe I should stay._

"_I would try and enjoy myself. Surround me with whatever makes me…content and forget about histories and just think about what's happening now. And fight to stay alive. There are many wonders in this world yet to be discovered."_

Rising to his feet, Cloud wondered over to the bathroom and shut the door behind him. The lights flickered on and he turned on the shower, feeling the water for a second to find the right temperature. He then peeled off his clothing, discarding them carelessly onto the floor, unwrapped the bandage, and stepped into the running water.

_Could I forget and let go?_

_Could I fight it? Am I strong enough?_

_Could I ever be with Tifa?_

_xxxxxxxxx_

"Cloud! You made it to breakfast!"

The blond cocked his head at the girl. He always had breakfast and always made breakfast. Well, his own breakfast. Normally he'd be long gone by now, out incessantly burning out his gas on the street or dirt making deliveries. So, it was a bit unusual to Cloud to be at the bar this early…and to the child. But Tifa took his presence quite well.

The kitchen looked quite chaotic and muddled. The countertop was swathed in large bowls dripping with yellow cream pancake mix and spoon ends sticking out from them. Chocolate chips were scattered across along with a few lost blueberries rolling along. Eggshells, flour, milk, and oil left their marks as well. Even the air was clogged with a sugary, chocolate sweet scent that drove his cravings mad. The red-headed boy sat with gratification on his face as he continued to devour his chocolate dotted stacked pancakes. Tifa stood in front of the heated stove effortlessly working with flipping and forming the pancakes to their perfection while Marlene zoomed over to him with an empty white plate.

"Me and Tifa made a variety of pancakes to eat. Denzel likes chocolate chips, so I made some chocolate chips pancakes and Teef made some blueberry and regular ones. There aren't too many regular ones though! Since you took so in-credibly long, I almost ate them all up. But just to be nice, I saved some for you. Here! Lemme get you a plate! Which ones do you want? Chocolate chip? Oh wait– those are for Denzel…but I'm sure he won't mind sharing. Blueberry? Regular?"

Boy, could Marlene ramble. He guessed he sort of forgotten how talkative the tiny child was. It was almost like a replica of Yuffie, except with more intelligence and grace. However all the choices seemed fine with him, but the blueberry attracted him more.

"Let's go with blueberry."

"Blueberry AND chocolate chip, right?" Marlene added before running over to a plate full of pancakes without letting Cloud protest, who stood there bedazzled at everything.

"Don't mind her. She's just proud of her chocolate chip pancakes. So far everyone seems to be impressed." Tifa said as she pressed her spatula on a cooking pancake. "Take a seat and chow down. I'll get you something to drink."

"No, no. You don't have to, Tifa. I'll get it for him. Come with me, Cloud. You can sit riiight–" Marlene grabbed Cloud's hand and pulled him out from behind the counter and over towards a seat next to Denzel where she placed breakfast down at. "Here! I'll get you a big glass of milk."

"Uh, thanks, Marlene." Cloud almost felt like a helpless child. He looked over at Denzel still looking totally focused on the food before him, dumping what seemed like pounds of syrup on his meal. He looked better this morning with only a little bit of redness showing in his eyes from the crying he had done. His bangs concealed his forehead well, and Cloud still couldn't tell to be sure.

"Feel better?" The man asked as he waited for his milk.

Dark blue eyes glanced over at the man, mouth chewing away at his last piece. "Mhm. Much better, thank you."

Suddenly a glass of milk was slammed down just next to his hands almost spilling out. He looked over finding Marlene with a wide smile on. "There you go! Eat up! We've still got plenty left!" She then took Denzel's empty brown streaked plate and passed the syrup over to Cloud.

"Hey. Do you need any help, Marlene? I can help you clean up, if you want. I don't mind." The boy asked shyly before hopping off the sitting stool.

"Marlene, why don't you help Denzel get cleaned up? You can show him where everything is. I can handle things from here. And thanks for helping me cook and getting things ready." Tifa said as she finished up with one last blueberry pancake and shut off the stove.

"Okay! Com'on, Denzel! Let's get you cleaned up!" The blacked haired child said as she hauled him along back up the stairs. All in the while, the boy rubbed his forehead wincing as he went along and Marlene noticed. "Does it still hurt?" She asked as they disappeared into the upper level.

"You gonna eat those, or are you gonna let them sit and get eatin' by someone else?" Tifa questioned to Cloud as she leaned over the countertop with her elbows holding her up as she sipped on creamy caramel colored coffee. The blond then started to eat.

"He's another orphan." Tifa began as she held the warm white mug in both hands. "Denzel. He said he came from Midgar, obviously. He told us he was alone most of his time without his parents, but other people managed to find and take care of him…for a while. Until they died."

Cloud stopped his munching for a second making eye contact with the woman. The food went down hard, forcing him to get a drink of milk before he could ask. "They _died_?"

"Mhm." Tifa took a sip of coffee and brushed back her bangs. "Well not all of them. But most of them. He said he's seen a lot of death. Something about this illness or something like that. This…disease where it infects your body and mind, leaving some kind of black mark and black stuff coming out. Sounds kinda scary. But that's what he told me they died of."

Suddenly Cloud wasn't feeling so hungry anymore. His mako eyes stared blankly at his half eaten chocolate chip pancake. The stigma. But, it was only recently when the disease was discovered. Was it that wide spread now in Midgar and now in Edge? His stomach churned. He really didn't want to hear that. Not when both the kid and he were infected. But he wondered how the child could just stand it. How the child could see the death the disease left behind that soon infected him and just take it. Denzel was some kid.

"And you know, the sad thing is, is that the kid has whatever it is. And he's seen what happened to the people and everything. I wonder if there is any cure? Anyways, I'm worried for the kid, you know? All that he's gone through and his illness…I thought maybe we could take care of him for a little bit and maybe look into what he has. Besides he doesn't have anything left for him either. No family, home, food, nothing."

Cloud pushed his plate away. "I'm sure whatever he has must have a cure…"

_Yeah. If only it did…_

Tifa smiled showing back her optimistic side. "Yeah. I think so too."


	9. Exhausted

**Chapter IX: Exhausted**

Cloud got home earlier than customary from his delivering. It bothered him some since he was losing extra gil and time for himself. But he knew it was for the best. For Denzel's sake, for Tifa's sake. They both had a lot on their shoulders anyways. He was excruciatingly exhausted though as he parked Fenrir just outside of the Seventh Heaven bar and slothfully slid off. Even for such a short day of delivering, it felt like interminable hours. His symptoms caught up with him and alas, sullied the day. His deliveries had been tremendously agonizing because of the sharp, abrupt pains at his arm running to his head. Everything ached. Everything hurt. And he still held a fever he had developed on his first trip. Geostigma. He felt like it was suffocating him.

Before entering through the door of the bar, he stared at his arm for a moment. He mused. He wondered if he getting worse. Was it spreading? Could it spread? He removed his glove from his left hand. Thick, black liquid coated it, continuously slithering down like vines from his arm to his finger tips and onto the concrete steps. Dried and freshly new. He then lifted the cloth masking away the evidence of what was truly wrong with him. The once white bandage tape was once again discolored.

_Damn._

_It doesn't look like it's just gonna go away does it…_

Slipping back on his glove, he twisted the doorknob and entered in. To his astonishment, no one was in the particularly cold bar. No Marlene, no Denzel, not even Tifa. Pictures of travels from around the world detailed the gray walls added some sort of vivid color to it. Small circular brown tables scattered across the cold floor with unfilled chairs that gathered around them. Upon the outlandishly clean steel countertop was his dinner, blanketed with a napkin on top of it to try and keep it warm. It actually looked peaceful for once. Yet voices sliced the silence from Marlene's room upstairs. He could hear Marlene's incredible high pitched voice sounding abnormally frantic. Tifa's was unruffled, but he could tell had a hint of worry. And breathing. Heavy breathing. Groans and moaning. Denzel. His symptoms were acting up again. Just like his.

"_Marlene, can you pass me the wet rag in the bucket next to the door?"_

"_Here! Here! I all ready have it! What's his temperature? Is he gonna be okay?"_

"…_106 degrees. But, don't worry he's going to be all right. He'll make it. We just have to watch him carefully."_

"_106? But Tifa! That's so high!"_

"_Shhhh, he's cooling down."_

"_I'm okay, guys, really…I…I can…you don't have to –"_

Cloud strode past the countertop and up the stairs, deciding to pass dinner. He dumped his grand swords onto the ground of his room, which made a small 'thud' noise. He placed his motorcycle keys and phone on his desk before entering the bathroom. Quickly his bright eyes searched for the bandages, finding them on the sink. It was painfully sore as he unwrapped the black stained tape from his arm and put on a fresh one, wincing at even the slightest move.

"_You guys, please! I just have a small fever! I don–ouch…my head…"_

"_Marlene? Did you change the temperature of the bar down?"_

"_Yes'em! I did! Should I fetch him ice cream?"_

"_Shhh, where does it hurt, Denzel? Your head? Here, just lie down…"_

_Knock. Knock._

"Is everything okay? Tifa? Denzel?" Cloud said into the door with a hand resting on the doorknob.

"Clouds home!" Marlene's voice came. Quick feet were heard scurrying for the door. Moments later the door swung open with the black haired little girl standing beside it. "Denzel's a little sick again. He's got a bad fever and his head keeps hurting!" She mumbled as he stepped inside the room. His eyes immediately caught a strapping, hospitable gaze as Tifa's and his eyes converged. She gave a tiresome smile as she stood on her knees on the bedside stroking dark, curly hair. He could only see half of her figure since it was lit up by the lamp at the nightstand abreast from her. The rest of her body appeared shapeless and a contour.

"Hey," She managed to utter out. "You're home early. I wasn't expecting you."

"I came home to help…and it looks like you need all the aid you can get." Cloud answered gazing past her shoulder to the boy trying to sit up. Feeling Denzel shift, Tifa turned back around. "Lay back down. The rag can't stay on your head if you keep trying to sit up. It will cool you off. Now you need to rest."

"I can't sleep…" Denzel replied as hands rubbed at his hazy eyes.

"I know!" Marlene trotted over to Cloud and grasped his hand. "Cloud can read us to sleep! Daddy used to read to me when I couldn't sleep. And after a while when he started to read, I felt really sleepy and I fell asleep!" Light brown eyes looked up at him, wordlessly asking; _please?_ Tifa turned her head over her shoulder, giving the girl an improbable look. Denzel lied back down not objecting. Sighing, Cloud consented.

"Sure."

"R-really?"

"Yes, really. Now go get a book. But nothing past twenty pages."

"Okay! I'll get a nice short story! I'll be right back! I think it's in Tifa's room!" Marlene said after sprinting out of the room. Rising to her feet, Cloud met Tifa at Denzel's bedside.

"I hope you like _Peter Rabbit_. I don't know how many nights I had to read that to her for her to sleep," She said to both of the boys.

"I don't think I've heard of it," The boy answered as he stared off somewhere in the ceilings.

"Tifa," Cloud grunted. "You should go and get some rest yourself. I think I can handle reading to the kids…and what page does Marlene normally fall asleep at?"

"Lets' just say I never get to finish the book. Feel better?" The brown eyed beauty laughed. "Good night Cloud, Denzel."

As the warrior watched Tifa abscond, Marlene came brushing by Tifa, barging back into the room. Of course, wrapped firmly around her tiny arms was _Peter Rabbit_ looking a little worn out. Flashing a large smile, she walked over and sat down next to Cloud, who sat close to Denzel so he too could see the colorful pictures. He opened the book.

"All right. _The Tale of Peter Rabbit_ everyone…by Beatrix Potter," The blond uttered. "'Once upon a time, there were four little rabbits, and their names were Flopsy, Mop…sy?'" Cloud stared at the book. He would have to read _this_ to the kids?

_Come on, Mopsy?_

_What kind of name…_

_And Barret reads this?_

"Mopsy," Marlene corrected as she leaned on his arm.

_Deal with it._

"'Mopsy, Cotton-tail, and Peter. They lived with their Mother in a sand-bank, underneath the root of a very big fir-tree.'" And so Cloud continued on reading about a talking rabbit that wore clothes until he could feel Marlene's full weight on his arm and until he heard Denzel's deep breathing. With eyelids barely open, he closed the book gently, taking the sleeping girl in his arms and got up while making sure not to wake the boy. Dragging his feet, he shut the door behind him and went to Tifa's room to lay Marlene down.

After tucking the child in bed, his hands guided him back to the hallway. Cloud managed to find his door cracked open with the desk light on. After entering he sat down at the desk, he let out a small irritated groan from the brightness of the little light. He soon found his desk neatly dusted and efficient. Everything from his scattered pens, paper, delivery plans were all put away and wholly arranged. He was all set for tomorrow. His visage twisted with stupefaction. He didn't remember doing any of that. Was the stigma affecting his reminiscence too? Or was it the book…

"Surprised much?" Shaking his head, he looked over to the right of him to find Tifa sitting patiently as if expecting him on his bed.

"You did this? I thought you said you were gonna go to bed? What happened to that? You're tried…you didn't have to do all of that…"

"Tired?" Tifa cocked her head as a small soft grin played on her face. "You might need to look in the mirror once in a while. You look worse than I do. Ha, but you should have seen your face. It was priceless."

Cloud gave a half smile. "…Thanks. But you really didn't have to."

"Oh, I know. I know. I just stopped in to get something when I saw your desk exploding, in dire need of cleaning. And then this natural instinct made me clean it up. I couldn't really help it," Tifa joked, waving off his comment. "It was nothing."

"Ah…instinct," Cloud nodded as he rolled his eyes, scooting out from the desk.

"But…what I really came in here was to talk to you about Denzel."

"Mmm? What about him?"

"Well, I thought maybe we could…you know…Maybe we can…" She trailed off as her hands fiddling with each other. "Maybe we can make this his home. Maybe we can accept him into our…family?"

_Family…_

_That's what she calls it…_

Getting up from his chair, he went and sat down next to Tifa. He looked into her beauteous, radiant face and was fixated onto her eyes. They were grave and strong, with something longing hidden deeper inside of them. Half of him didn't care, but the other was horrified, scared that this boy might reveal the brutal truth of him. His _secret_. But from the looks of it, Denzel was going to be a part of their small kin whether he liked it or not.

"Do you want him in this? In our family, in our lives, in everything?" Cloud questioned.

"…Yes. Yes I do. I want to _save_ him, Cloud. I want to do everything I can for him to get better."

"All right, then. He's officially welcomed in the family."

Tifa blinked as they both looked at each other. He knew what she was thinking. He was acting totally different than just days ago. She didn't say anything though, just staring back at the impassive man. But he noticed both of them abnormally close to each other. She broke away letting her dark eyes fall to his hands in his lap with a small smile on.

"I also wanted to say thanks for reading for the kids. I actually had some time to let myself think of something else besides worrying about getting them to bed. I hope the story of a bunch of talking rabbits didn't bother you too much," She whispered quietly as both of their bodies leaned closer.

Silence.

Lips met instantly, crashing together voraciously, covetous for more. They were torrid passionate busses tasting ever so sweet to Cloud. They pressed harder into each other's lips, sparks of flame enkindling crazily inside of the man. His body dawdled, drowning in listlessness as his pulse beat loudly in his ears. For once he felt wholesome and complete with her. His tainted arm seemed a little numb but thankfully not drastically hurting. Finally. After long years. This was the _perfect _moment between them. Their invisible cemented wall around each other was demolished, shattered into tiny particles.

Tifa was the first to pull back, desperate for air. Their chests heaved as they inhaled and exhaled loudly gazing at each other with demanding, lustful eyes in the darkness. His blue eyes glittered. It drove him wild. Taking only a few more breaths in, he belligerently shoved her body against the wall forcing them on their feet. He held her at her curves kissing her fiercely as she did the same. Her hands were placed at his cheeks holding making sure his lips pressed into hers. But soon their actions grew sluggish as their bodies tried to fight the fatigue that creped upon them. Cloud drew back, unable to continue on.

"Sorry…" Cloud managed to breathe out. "I'm just so tired…"

"…Yeah. Me too…" Tifa said inhaling deeply. "Sleep, Cloud."

The blond sat on his bed, the extreme static of lust buzzing still being pumped through his blood. He heard her depart out of the room and into her room. Groaning, he let his body fall back onto the mattress instantly falling into a deep, content sleep.

_xxxxxxxxx_

_Creeeeeeak…_

Cloud winced. Did someone open his door? His curled up body was too tired to respond with anything. Barely awake, he waited for a voice.

_Nonsense. I'm just dreaming again._

_Just go back to sleep. _

"_Cloud?"_

…_Tifa?_

"…_Cloud…"_

"Mmmm…" He could hear his throat rumble.

"_Do you mind if...I stay here with you?"_

_Of course not._

In response, his body moved a little to give her room to lie down. He could hear her steps against the floorboards as she traveled from the door to his bed. He could feel her weight being added to the mattress as she sank her body in. He could feel the warmth of her fragile body that touched his as it curled with his. He could smell her scent that lingered with his own. He could feel her eyes tracing and observing him. And he could hear her whispering just before falling back into his slumber.

"_Do you love me?"_

…

_Always have and always will._


	10. Brutish

**Chapter X: Brutish**

It had been exactly four and a half weeks since the discussion of accepting Denzel into the family. Hopes were high, spirits rose, and the feeling of normality began to form for all. Except for Cloud. The past weeks have been brutal to him as life carried on. His body grew weaker and weaker by each passing by and slowly but surely, he was losing his mentality. He would often drift off into thought as he drove countless miles or even simply watching the children play of Jenova, his past, _killing. _It was like there was still another face inside of him–an abhorrent beast locked within his own psyche waiting. Watching. Tormenting. _Alive_–urging, scratching at him to help release itself. Every day was a battle fighting the fevers, the cold sweat, the numbness, the migraines, the dirty bandages, the eccentric urges, and the electrical current he would suddenly feel when people touched him. But there was one thing Cloud hated the most. The crooked, counterfeit smiles he would draw on his face, and to watch Tifa, Denzel and Marlene smile at him back, thinking everything was all right. Thinking Cloud was okay and wasn't going to hide anymore. Thinking that maybe, just maybe they could truly be a family. And a small pain would strike his heart every time he saw them. Because he knew they were all wrong.

"Cloud?" Denzel's voice. He didn't realize he was staring at the boy. "What is it? Did Marlene put something on my face again?"

But he didn't understand. How was this child, only the age of eight so optimistic about everything? He didn't understand how the boy could withstand all the symptoms, the pains, the _monster inside_. Or was he different? Was it Cloud the only one with this…feeling? Why was Denzel fighting to live? And why isn't he himself…fighting?

_Fighting…living…I'm sick of it._

_I've fought for so long._

_I'm tired of fighting._

"No, silly! Now can you please help me and Tifa with the dishes? Gez, you ate so much! You pig!" Marlene argued as her small hands were occupied with a wet dinner plate wiping the water off with a dry rag.

"Nah-uh. Because I'm trying to help Cloud plan out his deliveries for tomorrow. You know, looking for shorter routes for him and stuff so he doesn't have to come home all late and tired. And I am not a pig! You ate just as much as I did!" The boy defended himself as his blue eyes hunted across the world map on top of the bar countertop before reaching Cloud's similar ones.

"Are you okay?" He asked the man again.

Immediately Cloud shifted his gaze back on the map as his hand dropped the delivering paper information on the countertop. This time his visage couldn't hold his usual fake smile. Instead, he appeared as if drained of all strength and life. He remained silent too deep within thought to answer the boy. He simply just stared.

"Maybe you need to eat something, Cloud." Tifa asked as she returned to the group from the plastic container cabinet. "You didn't eat any dinner or desert and you passed your beer…actually…I don't think you've been eating at all this week have you?"

Tifa again, began to grow as another fear to him. She was catching on and quickly. Even after pretending, it was like she could still see right through him. He could tell that she was still concern, even while things were starting to seem better when Denzel came into their lives. But she never confronted him or anything. He was half and half. Cloud didn't know if she knew he had Geostigma yet or if she thought it was something else.

"No…I have. I just think…"

"And look at you. You're pale as a ghost," Tifa said as she walked over to Cloud behind the counter and placed a cool hand on his forehead while the other hand placed the steaming lasagna in the plastic container down. Cloud felt a wave of electric shock flow through his body when her hand touched him. There was a sudden reaction to lurch at the barmaid, but he instantly swallowed it down straining his neck in the process. His pupils flickered to slits for a brief moment.

"Now that you mention it, Cloud does look like he's losing some color in his face. Is he sick? Did he catch a cold or something?" Denzel asked.

Her hand felt so good at the moment, until he realized that he was giving himself away. After only a few more seconds he gently pulled away playing a small grin. "Guys, I'm fine, really."

"Cloud, you're burning up!" The brunette exclaimed as she felt her own forehead to compare the temperatures. "I don't want you making deliveries when you're ill. You'll just make it worse and feel even weaker. Come, let me to you to bed. You need to rest and drink a lot of water."

Cloud shook his head. He stared at the floorboard beside him, hiding the panic that lingered in his eyes and trying to calm his pulse.

"I'm not going to take no for an answer. You need to rest in order to make a full recovery, and then you can go back at making deliveries okay? And if you want to continue making deliveries you also need to eat for strength. Now come with me upstairs so I can give you some medicine," She said. Her hand reached out for his. Instantaneously his muscles tightened as his eyes metamorphosed, starving for the impulsive shock about to be sent through his body.

_Riiiiiing. Riiiiiing. Riiiiiing._

"Teeeeef. The phoooone!" Marlene called as she reached up on her tippy-toes to place a bowl in the bowl cabinet.

Tifa drew her hand back and placed it intolerantly on her side.

"Goodness. Who in the world is calling now? Don't they know today is Cloud's off day?" She muttered under her breath as she strode up the stairs to Cloud's office.

Cloud heaved a sigh after that close call. But his body and muscles remained rigid and stressed as his temperature continued to scale. His head began to hurt immensely and his vision began to twist with hallucinations while sweat started to course down his temples and curve around his cheeks. The children's voices grew faded and his eyes remained their vertical oval shapes.

"_Cloud, are you gonna head out to where daddy lives?"_

_The. Reunion._

"_You mean out in North Corel?"_

_Will. Live._

"_Yeah is Cloud going…"_

_Sephiroth. _

"_Nope…He's…" _

_Will._

"Cloud?"

_Return._

"Cloud!"

"Sephiroth will…re…turn?"

"Mmm? Cloud, Tifa is calling you. I think she wants to ask you something," Denzel said pointing to Tifa who was peering down from the staircase.

Cloud turned his head over his shoulder but didn't let his eyes meet with hers. "Yeah?" He asked faintly with a ghostly pastel face.

"Barret just called and was just wondering if you could deliver a package he left here a few days ago. He says it's to a friend and he doesn't live too far away. He said it was some small automotive part and he needs it tonight ASAP. You think you can do that real quick? Or Do you still feel sick?"

"_Sick? Spikeys sick? Oh he's jus' bull shitin' ya' Teef. Make him deliver the god damn package! When I get down there I'll make sure he aint SICK no more! I'm gonna kick his–" _

"Calm down, Barret. I think he just has a little fever that's all…I know, don't worry…Just hold on a minute!" Agitated speaking with Barret and placing a palm over the speaker, Tifa asked Cloud again with a softer voice. "Can you? I think Barret is going to keep me on the line until you go."

"Uh…sure. Yeah. Sure, okay."

Yeah. Maybe he needed some fresh air or something to calm his senses down. Or maybe he just needed to get out of the house again. The delivery preparation was probably getting to him. It was getting dreadfully late anyways. After getting some unsullied air maybe a good rest will help. But what about…Sephiroth…Reu–

_Ack! Stop it!_

_He's dead! He's gone!_

_He can't come back you idiot!_

_He can't…He can't…_

_He can't right?_

"Oh! Oh! Cloud! Can I please come with you? Please just tonight? I mean it's only just a few blocks down right? I promise I'll behave and not be any trouble at all. I can deliver the package if you want me to?" The auburn haired boy implored as folded the map quickly and neatly on the countertop.

Cloud slid off the bar stool rubbing his temples as his headache expanded faster with the boy's annoying beseech. But knowing that Tifa was probably going to make him anyways, he nodded lackadaisically.

Catching his distress, Tifa tilted her head with her palm still on the speaker. "Are you sure you want to deliver it? I mean you don't have to if you don't feel good, Cloud."

"No. I'm fine. You don't have to worry so much. Me and Denzel will be back before nightfall hits," Cloud uttered as he picked up the small package and headed out the door with Denzel.

"We'll be back, Tifa. I'm with Cloud and everything is fine with Cloud." The boy said with a bright smile on his visage.

_xxxxxxxxx_

His somnolent, cat-like eyes caught the sight of the horizon just past a few buildings for a moment. The blazing sun was stretched out across it, seeing the buzzing city of Midgar and its people to sleep soon while the full moon already began to illustrate itself. The skies were gray with nimbus clouds looming above their heads symbolizing a possible storm bound to come. The sun seemed to seep down faster than Fenrir was running down the road to their destination, zooming past cars and people. It was going to be tricky if they were going to make it back to the bar before the sun sleeps. And before Cloud passes out.

The warrior struggled to keep his breath firm and his vision unwavering as he hit harder on the gas. His symptoms seemed to deteriorate with every small movement he made, even just watching the road ahead of him while everything was hurting. He just hoped the Denzel wouldn't go and tattle on him for speeding down the block just to get to deliver some automotive part package for Barret…who was probably going to come down tonight anyways.

"Cloud! I think that's the house right there! Slow down a bit!" Denzel managed to yell through all the wind as he clutched for dear life around Cloud's waist and the package.

They screeched to a stop in the drive way of the receiver, and Cloud turned off his engine. Denzel slowly got off, recovering from his ringing ears and holding the package ready to deliver. However, the blond brute remained on his motorcycle holding his sweat pouring face in his palms as his body shuttered.

"Cloud?" The young boy questioned with trepidation hinting his voice, eyeing Cloud's anomalous bodily behavior.

_Sephiroth._

He said nothing.

"Uh, Cloud?"

_Jenova._

Again, nothing.

"I'm…I'm just gonna deliver this package for you then, all right?" Denzel paused for a moment for a response but didn't expect one. Then he started again. "And we can go home and let Tifa and Marlene have a look at you…"

_They're. Coming. Back._

But suddenly Cloud's shutter turned into an aggressive tremble with his fingers gripping tightly against his skull. He could feel his head go light and numb and his body tremendously hot. His pulse beat deafeningly in his ears and he could hear his short breathing. Severe pain ached at his arm but for some reason his body hungered for it, his blood running like electricity through his veins. An unearthly smirk danced on his countenance and his throat rumbled. He couldn't control his own body. He could feel the other side of him awakening.

"C…Cloud? Are you…Cloud! Cloud! You're bleeding! Cloud! It's–It's–It's black!" Denzel screamed as his expression changing from concern to horrified.

_The. Reunion. Will. Live._

Sobbing was heard as something tugged on his left sleeve that was saturated in black puss that continued to be release from his arm. His darkened, brutish mako eyes stared at the boy. He examined his tears that streaked his reddened cheeks though his expression was stern as his lips moved. He couldn't even hear the boy yelling angrily at him and tugging and shoving him with harder force that abruptly provoked him. With his free hand the man got a quick grasp on the young boy's throat, squeezed, and then launched him with an unnatural force. It sent the boy skidding across the concrete driveway and crashing against the wired fence of the house. After making sure the boy wasn't moving, he drove off speeding down the streets running red lights and stop signs, his body shaking, his vision hazing, his heart pounding…

There, before his very eyes stood a darkened man with a black wing folded neatly behind his right shoulder blade.

Sephiroth.

His beast-like eyes widened as Fenrir pursued full speed ahead towards the man; rage and odium flowing through his body steadily.

And then, blackness.


	11. Decision

**Chapter XI: Decision **

"Uggghhhhh."

_What…what happened?_

"…Damn…"

_My chest…my body…my head…_

_Everything hurts so much._

_What the fuck…_

There was a small light piercing through the darkness that surrounded him. He continued to watch it curiously, finding it attractive and wanting to see it more. Slowly the dim light waxed across his vision. It was blurry and quite hazy at first, but his eyes soon started to adjust. He could feel something cold and wet hit his face and body with a clam, steady pace as he tried to comprehend what he was seeing. Whatever it was, it felt good against his skin as he laid on his back. He actually kind of enjoyed it as it calmed his pounding heart and throbbing head.

_Am I…am I dead?_

_Am I in heaven?_

Beauteous ocean blue eyes awoke staring blankly ahead at angry sea of grayness that roared and grumbled angrily. It was the sky in process of forming a thunder storm. The nimbus clouds threatened the people and Cloud with their flickers of soundless neon lights, giving rain as their first warning sign. Mother Nature just wasn't having a good day. But the weather did fit Cloud's day perfectly.

After realizing that he was still alive he made an effort to pick himself up. Gritting his teeth through the soreness and pain, he managed to lift up his head and prop his upper body up with his palms. He found himself sitting in an alleyway next to a storm drain with Fenrir in bad shape. It lay pitifully on its side with the front dented and partially wrecked. Apparently, he had driven Fenrir along with himself right into the side of a building next to an alley. Cloud stared thunderstruck for a moment. How in the living hell did he end up crashing? Why was he even…

_Oh…fuck…_

_DENZEL!_

Fear reined over the blond man. Pure, dead fear. Panic flooded his face as he scrambled to his feet. He staggered sluggishly to his fallen bike to rotate it back in its correct position. He held the bike for stability as he called the boy's name repeatedly.

"Denzel! Denzel! DENZEL! Where are you!"

Of course, there was no answer but just the sounds of automotives on the road splashing into puddles along the street. But soon his mind recuperated and he suddenly remembered everything. He was out trying to deliver a package for Barret and Denzel came along to help out. Right. But how did…

_Right._

_My Geostigma was acting up again, and I wasn't feeling good._

_Denzel…_

He recalled the event, thrusting Denzel like he did which frightened him. Denzel didn't do anything to deserve what he did to him. He just stood there in fear like a log concerned about his conditions. But that wasn't him. It was someone else. The_ other_. The _monster_.

_And I saw Sephiroth._

Cloud's eyes widened. He was the last person he saw. He was crystal clear standing there with his crooked smile waiting for him. But Cloud didn't understand. If Sephiroth was here and he crashed…wouldn't Sephiroth just finish him off right then and there? Goodness, like he knew. He wasn't Sephiroth anyways.

_Probably just another hallucination that got to me._

_Well what the fuck do I do now?_

_I can't just stand here barely without any strength all day._

_And I sure as hell can't go back to the bar. Not after what I did to Denzel._

Sighing, Cloud reached in his pocket to get the time off his cell phone.

5:34 A.M.

"…What?" Cloud cocked his head. He remembered leaving the house around seven-ish just before nightfall. Doubtful, he closed his phone and reopened it.

5:34 A.M.

_I'm just hallucinating again. _

_I have to be. It can't already be morning._

_Tifa would kill me._

Before checking the voicemail that was left for him, he caught a glimpse of himself through his bike mirror. He looked absolutely terrible as dark dried crimson blood stained his left temple. Scratches dotted his face around his cheek bones and at his jaw line along with dirt. His body was covered in rough bleeding skid marks and discolored bruises and more gravel dirt. The rain wasn't much help as it smeared together the dirt and blood making his wounds sting violently. He sighed weakly as he brushed back his wet blond bangs while opening his voicemail on his cell phone.

"You have one message."

"_Cloud… I–" _

"_Tifa, is…is Cloud all right?"_

"_Denzel! Don't worry about that bully! I'll make sure Daddy gets a hold of him!"_

"_Shhh. Marlene, go take Denzel back to the sink so he can wash up his wounds."_

"_TIFA! JUS' GIVE ME THE DAMN PHONE.I CAN'T BELIEVE he left Denzel alone! I SWEAR to GOD if he EVER comes near these kids AGAIN I–"_

"_Barret, please!"_

Great. Someone else to look forward to. Barret. Just who he needed to talk to. Yeah right. At least Denzel was safe at home.

"_Cloud. I don't know where you are, or what your condition is. And quite frankly at the moment, I don't really give a shit. Whenever you're sorry ass hears this message, get home. Now."_

Tifa wasn't someone who used fowl language as often as Barret and Cid, but if it was something severe she could get a little rough.

"_Cloud, what…what has gotten into you? Why are doing all of a sudden? Look…Just come home, okay?"_

"Message ended at 9:18 P.M. Press one to save message. Press–"

Before he could save the message, he was already on his bike speeding out of the alley and onto the road to home.

_xxxxxxxxx_

There was a strange coldness that kissed his skin as Cloud stood looking rather kaput in the chilling rainfall. His rare blue, slit eyes were set gazing upon the upstairs window of the Seventh Heaven bar seeing a flickering movement brush by within. He knew that she knew he was here because of his thunderous motor corrupted the peaceful beats of the rain, but for some reason it took her a few moments before she could appear in the window. So he stood waiting in the rain next to his bike for her to appear as the rain coursed around his body and face despite how incredibly worn-out he felt and the physical aching pains that were currently draining his body.

His heart immediately sank as light materialized itself within the darkness of the window–Tifa. The woman portrayed a weary expression that somewhat resembled like his, only her face had a hint of deadly anger. But her dark eyes had trouble keeping a constant gaze with his as they flickered off towards the corner of the window. Her skin held an unusual tone of pale ivory as long dark brown hair curved around her visage and shoulders that was half dry and half wet; she probably just had gotten out of the shower is what Cloud guessed. He could feel his insides shatter.

After several long seconds, Tifa lowered her head and turned away while brushing back her parted bangs that tickled her face and sank back into the black shadows of the abode like light getting smothered by the darkness. Cloud shut his eyes as a hand rubbed down his face. He didn't know what he was going to say to her about Denzel or anything really. He was still kind of lost himself–still not knowing what all the psychological omens meant that he encountered. Everything was still a screwed up mess for him. Cloud reopened his eyes again, staring over at the motorcycle abreast from him enticing him to abscond.

_Think about Tifa._

_She already saw your ass, Cloud._

_I can't leave…but…_

_I don't know. I just don't know._

He was torn. Yes, he wanted to see Tifa and make sure that Denzel was okay and try to explain what happened, but on the other side he wanted to escape and try to figure out what was wrong with him and why he wasn't himself at times. His optics flickered over to the window again. He watched for several minutes more in deep thought until he made a decision.

_She's waiting for me._

_I have to see her. I want to see her. I need to see her._

After putting himself back together, he entered inside the bar expecting to see her waiting for him impatiently inside with her hands on her hips ready with plenty of scolding ammunition to fire at him. But she wasn't. There was just an eerily bare bar. Drying himself off a bit, he dragged himself up the flight of steps with a rather sluggish pace until he got to the top. All of the bedroom doors were open except for his where he knew Tifa was lurking. Calmly, the man headed over to his room and opened the cracked door peering inside to see the woman sitting on the edge of his bed. She had with her back arched over with her beauteous countenance masked within the palms of her hands as her elbows were balanced on her knees. She was dressed in her night attire of a white tank top and black shorts. Next to her bare feet was her towel she used after the shower, still saturated in water, while the scent of fresh shampoo turned on his senses. Cloud waited for a moment for her to sense him in the room, but Tifa seemed too lost within her mind to notice him. He finally got her attention after shutting the door behind him.

She seemed rather traumatized to Cloud as she jumped slightly as the door closed but recovered quickly. For a split second, a look of relief and concern filled her eyes, but instantly she turned away from the man staring intensely over at the bed headboard behind her while Cloud approached.

"I thought you left after I left the window. I didn't think you were going to stay or anything," Tifa muttered as Cloud sat down with the same intense look on his face. Cloud, as his usual self, remained silent watching impassively at the floor. Tifa turned to him, quite frankly pissed. She couldn't hold back her rage.

"What the hell, Cloud? What happened to Denzel?" She snapped, her eyes burning at his flesh. "What happened to _you_?" She waited for a moment but she knew he wasn't going to answer.

"Right. No answer. Neither you nor Denzel will tell me then, huh? Gosh damn it, Cloud! Why won't you tell me? Why the hell can't I know? What's wrong with me? This is way I can't help or do a damn thing for you and Denzel because you guys won't say anything to me! You'll just leave me to figure it all out on my own to know and then I'll be probably too late to do a damn thing…" Tifa growled before turning away from the soundless man to the floorboard. It was settle for a moment.

"Denzel told me that something happened to you on the delivery. He said you were acting strange and you couldn't finish the delivery and he had to finish it. He told me that you told him that you had to leave to the drug store real quick to get something and told him to go home after delivering the package," The dark haired woman uttered quietly. "But when I asked him about his wounds he told me a group of boys beat him up on the streets. But the wounds…couldn't have just come from boys…"

Cloud lowered his head growing uncomfortable and began feeling the choking sensation of culpability. Tifa continued on.

"I asked him again if what he was telling me was the full truth…and he said yes that it all was…and he didn't know where you were. He had thought you'd meet him home after you got some medicine or something at the drug store," Tifa looked back over at him tracing his wounds and discolored bruised spots upon his skin. "But when I look at you I see a different story. I don't know what the truth is anymore."

"I crashed on the way back home. I was rushing so I could find Denzel on the way home and drive him the rest of the way back."

Cloud shut his eyes again holding back the pain that struck at his failing heart. It was like with every lie he'd say to the woman, a stake would plunge in his chest tenaciously at his heart. There were so many already stuck in his chest there was barely enough for that one to fit. He knew one day he'd regret building upon Denzel's fib, but it was one hell of a tale to cover for him. He boy truly did care and looked up to him, Cloud guessed.

"So…Denzel…was telling me the truth right?" Tifa sounded like it still was something she only wanted to believe and that it was still a lie though. Cloud sighed.

"Yes."

"…Please Cloud…Please don't leave him like that again. I know he does seem like he's old enough to be on his own but if those boys keep beating him up…I just don't want him coming home like that. And I don't want to get Marlene all worked up on it too…and Barret."

"Are they here?"

"Barret…" Tifa shifted her gaze towards the window as she watched the raindrops coat the glass. "He didn't want–he just wanted to keep the kids for awhile at Corel so we could have a break without them."

She shifted her body to face him as a hand gripped his infected arm firmly causing a slight twitch at his fingers and muscles.

"Cloud, look at me," She ordered. Slit eyes danced their way over towards her brown ones as an outlandish, greedy urge developed in Cloud's body. The strong scent of the female seemed to turn on his other senses, wildly causing a disturbance in his body he could feel. He could hear his pulse again ringing at a low tone in his ears. But in a gauche way he fancied the disturbance since it forced him to draw near her.

"Are you sure you're okay and nothing is wrong with you?" She asked, alleviating her overwrought look.

Cloud nodded as he drew in closer, feeling her grip on his arm deteriorating and her words growing softer.

"Cloud…I'm here for you…I–" Before Tifa could finish her statement, she was cut off as his lips crashed into hers with appetite and passion while she melted in his arms.


	12. Promise

**Chapter XII: Promise**

All was silent as she awoke from her deep slumber. She was dazed for a moment, trying to get her eyes adjusted to the darkness and getting her mind out of her heavy sleep mode. She was tired as her weary eyes stared blankly above at the ceiling above her, trying to figure out where she was. She soon realized she was not in her familiar room, but someone else's – His. Immediately, her once droopy eyes flashed open and she was wide awake.

_Cloud!_

"Cloud!" She echoed, as she shifted her body up to look around. She could only see the normal plainness of the room: a basic desk, a small book shelf, the simple closet, the plain door left open. And no Cloud. Like how it used to be.

Quickly she glanced next to her, with the smallest hope that he would be there lying peacefully next to her lost within a dream. But, with no surprise, there was no man sleeping peacefully beside her. In fact there was no man at all…just empty air filling in the once occupied spot. But he was there. He _was_. She remembered. He_ was_ there.

Tifa leaned back against the headboard of the bed, sighing in utter disappointment and betrayal. Her warm brown eyes darkened as they boiled with anger and frustration. Why? Why would Cloud so such a thing to her? After all that time…was it all a lie? Fake? Just to make her feel better for a couple of months or so?

_God._

_What the hell is wrong, Cloud?_

_What the hell is it?_

_I should have never…_

_I shouldn't have let it go…_

_I knew. I knew._

Yes, she was never oblivious of Cloud's bizarre behavior at times. She knew that something was going on with him, but she always pretended and played along. And she knew why she did it too.

_Because I wanted to be with him…_

_I wanted to try and make life normal._

_For him. For me._

Tifa sighed and placed her face into her open palms. She didn't know how in the world she was going to break it to the children and to everyone else that he had left again and was probably not coming back for quite some time. Marlene would ask the basic, tough questions of why, and if did Cloud really love her and everyone else and so on. Barret and the others would give her the usual lecture and tell her how they would support her…and all that fancy jazz bull shit. She was getting pretty sick and tired of it. And getting pretty sick and tired of herself. Always having hope and always holding on and waiting for him. For loving him.

_For that little piece of pathetic shit._

_Always thinking about him…_

_Loving him…_

She looked up from her palms, feeling even more exhausted and stressed out.

"I need to clean. Or something. I need to do something." Tifa muttered to herself. "I can't just sit here. I just can't."

As she placed her warm feet on the floorboard ready to get out of bed, she glanced at the digital clock running on the nightstand that had a small navy blue box with a piece of small white paper underneath it.

7:03 A.M.

"Ughhh. It's all ready seven? Dear lord…" The brunette grumbled. She was about to get up when she glanced back at the nightstand. There it sat the small box with note underneath it. The box was square-shaped, much like the common box for a small piece of jewelry. She cocked her head. She didn't ever recall seeing this within his room. Maybe it was his ring box? Did he wear any rings? Or maybe it's for his earring…

Curiously, Tifa picked up the box, leaving the small note where it was and slowly opened it. Inside was a ring with a face of the wolf on Cloud's pauldron. It had fine craftsmanship, everything finely detailed all around. It looked as if it were made with some of the finest metals. The wolf had a ring held tightly within its clenching jaws and brilliant blue colored eyes, looking as if made up of blue materia. They glittered within the fading morning darkness, reminding her of someone who has such familiar eyes.

Just like Cloud's.

Cloud's blue eyes…

She gazed at the piece of fine jewelry for a few moments longer before trying it on for size. She slipped it on her right ring finger, finding the ring fitting perfectly on her slender finger. She held up her hand, letting the rising sun catch the eyes of the wolf, making the materia shimmer in beauty. She loved it. She absolutely adored it. It gave her almost a comforting sensation as she gazed into the wolf's eyes.

Placing the ring box down on the nightstand, she took the small note that was folded underneath it. She opened it finding it written in Cloud's small, neat handwriting in black ink. It was a simple note with only a few lines that meant the world to her.

Tifa,

I'll come back to you.

I promise.

– Cloud

She looked at the note with small smile as she kept rereading the last line to his note.

"_I promise."_

_A promise is a promise, Cloud._

_And I'm gonna hold you to it._

It was then when she heard a familiar revving engine of a motorcycle just outside of the bar. Instantly, Tifa got up and ran over to the window to look. There, was a dark figure of a man revving up his bike's engine ready to head off into the day. He adjusted his mirrors and placed his goggles on his handsomely structured visage quickly before placing his foot on the gas pedal. Tifa, mouth agape, desperately fought with the window locks as she tried to unlock them to get the man's attention. But her fingers just worked clumsily. And by the time she had the window open and called out his name, the warrior was already racing down the quiet street taking one last glance over his shoulder at the young woman.

_I'll come back._

~ Fin.


End file.
